The Minaret

MINARET UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1933

THE

Volume 77 Number 19

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February 10, 2011

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ut.minaret@gmail.com

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minaretblog.com

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theminaretonline.com

Defining UT: Official, Urban Versions Clash

T

he University of Tampa is a comprehensive, independent university that delivers challenging and high quality educational experiences to a diverse group of learners. . . . Beginning with an innovative first-year student experience, University of Tampa students explore global issues, examine career possibilities, and refine communication and critical thinking skills.

- UT Mission Statement

U

niversity of Tampa nestled near the Hillsborough River, just west of downtown Tampa is [an] ... extremely overpriced, mediocre university ... chock full of out of state rich students who are not smart enough to get into a prestigious private university. Due to the small nature and the fact that female students outnumber their male counterparts, this school has quite a reputation for manswapping, gangbanging females.

- Urban Dictionary Entry

COMMENTARY: See Page 12 for Student Reactions to the Definitions Debate

Operation 3D: A 2-Minute Stop to Save Lives

Student recounts ride-along in Tampa Police BATmobile

By MICHEAL ANGELO RUMORE + YASAMAN SHERBAF News Reporters

File Photo by Kara Wall/The Minaret

The Hillsborough County BATmobile (breath-alcohol testing) is an on-wheels blood alcohol testing facility that the Sheriff’s Department is beginning to set up for a DUI checkpoint near UT.

By DAVID WISTOCKI Staff Writer

An oversized Winnebago pulled up, parked itself in the McNiff Fitness Center parking lot and out walked officers of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). You may be thinking “bad

camping trip,” but the officers were far from having just packed up the family RV. The Winnebago was in fact the Hillsborough County BATmobile (breathalcohol testing) — an on-wheels blood alcohol testing facility — and the Sheriff’s Department was just beginning to set up for a DUI checkpoint.

NEWS + FEATURES 2 Austrian Ambassador Discusses Effects and Consequences of WikiLeaks on World Diplomacy 3 Ban on Homeless in Tampa Bay Area Shut Down

Feb. 3 marked one of multiple oncampus DUI checkpoints that occur throughout the year set through HCSO’s Operation 3D: “A public awareness plan that is designed to enhance the HCSO’s ability to deal with problems commonly associated with motorists who drink and drive.” They are doing so in an effort to reduce the number of DUI crashes that occur every year, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Deputy Chris Fauskee, the implementation of DUI checkpoints are rooted in a 1980s study that showed a 20 percent decrease in DUI crashes after incorporating DUI checkpoints into a community.

In a county that experienced 5,800 DUIrelated arrests in the last year, students at University of Tampa and in the Tampa Bay area are undoubtedly in an environment

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT 7 Sincere Singer, Jared Mahone Brings Soul to Unplugged 9 Making the Most of Valentine’s Day

in which a 20 percent decrease makes a significant impact on our lives.

You may be asking, “But why UT?” Deputy McMurphy explained simply that “The UT location is for education.”

Rather than having the agenda of hunting the student body for DUI violators, each of the Operation 3D officers is more than welcoming to any curious passersby at the DUI checkpoints and they encourage students to gain familiarity with the BATmobile and laws against drunk driving, to prevent a quick mistake from becoming a life-altering decision.

A quick glance into the grant-funded $300,000 BAT-mobile reveals a nonthreatening environment — no hanging handcuffs or threatening public service announcement posters.

A streamlined wall of LCD screens leads [See Checkpoint, 5]

COMMENTARY

16 Keeping Your “Bro-Status” is Difficult When Physical Lines Blur

MINARET

Alex Vera

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ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Trobiano

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NEWS + FEATURES

Cara Fetzer, Senior Editor Joshua Napier, Asst. Editor minaret.news@gmail.com

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Mandy Erfourth, Senior Editor Micheal Angelo Rumore, Asst. Editor minaret.arts@gmail.com

COMMENTARY

Philippa Hatendi, Senior Editor John Jacobs, Asst. Editor minaret.commentary@gmail.com

SPORTS

Daniel Feingold, Senior Editor Kyle Bennett, Asst. Editor minaret.sports@gmail.com

ONLINE

Yara Abbas

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Abby Sanford, Head Photographer minaret.photog@gmail.com

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COPY EDITING

Laura Theobald, Head Copy Editor Moriah Parrish, Asst. Copy Editor David Saucedo, Asst. Copy Editor Robin Hudson, Asst. Copy Editor

REPORTERS

Jeffrey Palmer Channing Hailey Yasaman Sherbaf Shivani Kanji

STAFF WRITERS

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COLUMNISTS

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Austrian Ambassador Discusses Effects and Consequences of WikiLeaks on World Diplomacy

By MICHEAL ANGELO RUMORE + YASAMAN SHERBAF News Writers

Austrian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Christian Prosl visited the Vaughn Center on Tuesday afternoon. Speaking at the Crescent Club on the ninth floor, Dr. Prosl discussed the effect of WikiLeaks on world diplomacy.

“Diplomacy is more important now than ever before,” Dr. Prosl said, referring to the increasingly globalized world economy.

Dr. Prosl has a long history in international affairs dating back to posts as First Secretary in London and Counselor of Economic Affairs in Washington, D.C. But what drives someone to devote themselves to world diplomacy?

“I never wanted to be a diplomat,” Dr. Prosl said. However, he changed his mind in his twenties after a trip to Vienna.

“I realized that there are people who are much less favored than we are [ . . . ] and it is possible to help these people.”

Dr. Prosl also served in the United Nations and as Austrian Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Though the ambassador acknowledged WikiLeaks as an important development in international relations, he had no kind words to say about those willing to disclose diplomatic secrets. “We have to be sure that people that divulge secrets are put on trial. [ . . . ] We have to be able to trust each other, that the information we are getting is right and we are protected.”

Dr. Prosl argued that the United States and Europe stand united around common values. “If we believe that [human] rights are universal, we must defend them.”

He then evoked the Guantanamo Bay prison and perceived questionable treatment by the Austrian police toward foreigners as examples of the challenges and paradoxes democratic societies face in upholding human rights.

In closing his prepared remarks, Dr. Prosl highlighted the importance “that students come together from all around the world, study — you have here a wonderful university — people. I understand over a hundred countries are represented. Take the chance; talk! Talk! And I hope that the exchange of students between the United States and Europe will again increase because we have a lot of things to discuss, the way we will shape our future, but particularly yours.”

Afterward, Dr. Prosl took questions from the audience. The dense crowd was timid at first, until one attendee asked whether WikiLeaks is “in totality good.”

Dr. Prosl emphatically answered, “No,” though he admitted that he was unsurprised by the reality of WikiLeaks.

Addressing whether the integrity of diplomatic relations had taken a hit by the language of the leaked documents, the ambassador said, “Diplomats are here to improve the world and they are not here to make things worse. Probably the American diplomats are some of the best in the world. [ . . . ] I’m disappointed and sad that they don’t get that much credit.”

He criticized the media’s coverage of leaked documents, saying, “[The press] always thinks there is something behind it,

]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEWS + FEATURES

that prosecuting Julian Assange for the contents of WikiLeaks is improper.

Dr. Prosl used WikiLeaks as a demonstration of consequences that may arise when diplomatic information is shared too freely. The ambassador emphasized that it is “important who gets the information that is being sent out.” In his view, restricting the flow of information is vital.

Additionally, he expressed that the relative openness of information within the United States intelligence community contributed to the hemorrhaging of classified documents as showcased on WikiLeaks.

On relations toward Iran, a frequently discussed topic in the wake of WikiLeaks’s revelations, Dr. Prosl said that the leaked

“I personally think the diplomats did a great job and [the leaks are] not their fault.”

something creeping in general.”

“I personally think,” the ambassador said, “the diplomats did a great job and [the leaks are] not their fault.”

On regulation of the Internet, Dr. Prosl said, “I am against censoring [the Internet] while having some regulations unless you have to protect your children or people who have to be protected. There is a thin line of course — what is still admissible and what is not not — but that is a question of culture, I would say. I do not see that, nowadays, we need much protection of the Internet because everybody knows [about it].”

The Minaret spoke with Dr. Prosl, and asked for his response to students who view Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as champions of open democracy. “Julian Assange is not at fault,” replied Dr. Prosl, deflecting the blame to those who actually leaked the information that sources such as WikiLeaks published.

However, he contended that Julian Assange should not be considered “a hero for publishing something like that.”

However, Dr. Prosl expressed the position

- Dr. Christian Prosl Austrian Ambassador

[

M

2 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

documents betray “central” concerns by other Arab nations that are “disturbing their societies.” Some documents released

by WikiLeaks described several Arab countries, most notably Saudi Arabia, urging the United States to militarily intervene in Iran.

Dr. Prosl was brought to UT as part of the Honors Department’s International Speakers Series. For more information about future symposia, contact Dr. Gary Luter at gluter@ut.edu.

Micheal Angelo Rumore and Yasaman Sherbaf can be reached at mrumore@ spartans.ut.edu and ysherbaf@spartans. ut.edu.

Poll:

Do you find Julian Assange and WikiLeaks heroic?

Visit The Crescent at minaretblog.com to cast your vote.

Why You Need To Learn Personal Finance

By GIORGIO MUGNO Special to the Minaret

All around campus one may overhear students say statements such as “Oh my God, I love those shoes,” or “Bro! I just got a new ride!”

There’s no problem with this at all; however, what somebody may fail to hear are the conversations about how to balance a checkbook or why saving for a rainy day is so important.

Here are some ways to stay on top of your finances.

A student may ask themselves, what should I be doing to prepare myself before I walk on that podium and accept my diploma? As a first step, it is suggested that you educate yourself in personal finance.

Without financial intelligence, people may end up locked in a vicious cycle of debt and consumption.

One can first start by taking some time to read the basic fundamentals of economics. This will foster an ability to

understand that every decision made is an economic decision, whether people realize it or not. In addition, taking an interest in the national and global economy will open students’ eyes as to how the economy has an effect on us both individually and as a collective.

For example, topics such as interest rates, money supply, government regulation and taxes all affect business cycles and ultimately how many people are eventually hired or laid off in each cycle.

Do not fall into the trap of overconsumption. If somebody makes a modest income and watches many of the popular shows that highlight how the rich and famous live; do not try to emulate that lifestyle.

Many Americans have supplemented their earnings with credit cards and other debt institutions such as second mortgages in an attempt to live an inflated lifestyle.

In many ways, the compulsion to overconsume is one of the problems that led us to an economic nightmare.

People should ensure that they have sufficient funds, or liquidity, to live on for at least a year.

If you save this way, then should you lose your income stream you will have some cushion while trying to figure out what to do next.

So many people live paycheck-topaycheck and do not save for a rainy day.

If possible, start a “rainy day fund.”

Many of those people who, just a year or two ago, were making a comfortable salary and living in a respectable home are now living in homeless shelters, in their cars or are having to compromise pride and live under the roofs of friends and or family.

Many of these people over-consumed, failed to plan ahead and failed to envision a worst case scenario and how to prepare for it. This is the reality that you will not see on the mainstream media and this is why Americans (UT students included) need to wake up and educate themselves in personal finance in order to avoid becoming another statistic.

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

Exclusive Guide to Spring Break Getaways

By SHIVANI KANJI News Reporter

While some have already booked their flights and hotels for spring break, others are still a bit unsure of what to do. With the break coming up in about a month, students are advised to start planning now to get the best deals. Here are some spring break destinations to consider this year: Key West, Florida With beautiful, sparkling blue waters and temperatures in the 80s, this island offers much to do outdoors, from snorkeling to relaxing on the beach.

There is a laid-back atmosphere and a fantastic night-life with plenty of live music and entertainment.

Sophomore Veronica Rodriguez, who has visited Key West during spring break, said, “The Keys are all about the water — boating, fishing — the local bars and the friendly faces.”

One of the more popular daytime hangouts is Smathers Beach; while, at night, Duval Street is “the place to go.”

For great dining, relaxing and partying, experience Key West at its best during spring break.

For more information, check out: www. paradiseparties.com.

Miami Beach/South Beach, Florida About four hours drive from Tampa lies Miami and South Beach. With its year-long warm temperatures and beautiful waters, these beaches are known for their neverending spring break partying.

Rodriguez, who has spent a spring break in Miami as well, describes it as “one big party city — day and night.”

A list of clubs in Miami and South Beach can be found at: www.springbreak. com.

Panama City Beach, Florida This 27-mile long white sandy beach and previous MTV Spring Break host,

makes Panama City Beach’s a classic spring break hot-spot. Activities include volleyball, diving, snorkeling and scuba diving.

The nightlife is just as spectacular with a different nightclub event every night during Panama City Spring Break. At sunset, the party is kicked off with a blast of a cannon and as the sun sets the city comes alive.

For more information, check out: www. paradiseparties.com.

Cruise Ships With the weather warming up and the wind at a perfect speed, spring break is the perfect time to hop on a cruise and take advantage of some cheap deals. Tropical and exotic destinations like the Bahamas and Mexico make cruises the perfect opportunity to relax, explore new places and take advantage of all-you-can-eat restaurants.

Find some cruises that coincide with UT’s Spring Break at: www. cruisespringbreak.outsideagents.com, www.cruise.expedia.com and www.Cruise. com.

MTV Spring Break — Las Vegas, NV An event hosted by MTV specifically for spring break season, MTV Spring Break, will be a great place to be if you are looking for non-stop parting, with some celebrity appearances and performances.

This will take place from March 6 through tenth in Las Vegas. The place to be in the neon-lit city is the famous Palms Resort, which is considered to be the MTV Spring Break headquarters.

P.E.A.C.E. Alternative Spring Breaks The P.E.A.C.E. alternative spring break will be sponsoring two trips this year: one to Greenville, S.C., helping the Crossroads Group Home; and one to Knoxville, Tenn., helping the Knoxville Leadership Foundation.

Alternative break coordinator, Shahana Ansari, said the experience is rewarding.

“Students are able to safely explore outside of one’s own comfort zone, to bond with peers outside of one’s usual social group and to understand the complex components of a specific social issue.”

Although the deadline has already passed, there are many more P.E.A.C.E. Alternative Breaks offered throughout the year.

For those who are planning to stay around town for spring break or are looking to show some friends around, some local places to check out include: St. Petersburg Beach, Florida A historic city with award-winning beaches, Saint Pete Beach is a great place to both relax and party. Hop onto the Pirate Cruise, relax in the sun or check out Caddy’s on the Beach located in St. Pete’s neighbor, Treasure Island.

Throughout spring break, Caddy’s has DJs hosting their beach parties and contests. Note: Drinking is permitted on the beaches of Treasure Island.

For more information, check out: www. stpetebeach.com.

Ft. De Soto Park Less than an hour away is Fort De Soto Park, named America’s Top Beach for the second time in 2009 by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest online travel community.

The site called the Park a “spectacular combination of soft white sand, calm, clear water and a laid-back atmosphere.”

Reservations can be made at www. pinellascounty.org.

Orlando, Florida About an hour’s drive from Tampa, Orlando captures the essence of Florida.

Some things to check out in Orlando are Downtown Disney, CityWalk, Dinosaur World and the Kennedy Space Center.

Shivani Kanji can be reached at shivani. kanji@spartans.ut.edu.

Trip Tips Key West, Florida Flights – $300-$400. kayak.com Hotel – $200-$300. kayak.com Miami Beach, Florida Hotels – $200-$300. kayak.com Panama City Beach, Florida Hotel – $75-$150. kayak.com Cruises Cost - $250-$400. cruisespringbreak.outsideagents.com cruise.expedia.com cruise.com MTV Spring Break $244 per person paradiseparties.com/mtv-spring-break $194 book.studentcity.com PEACE Alternate Spring Breaks $200 – including food, lodging, transportation, site seeing and the excursion day. ut.edu St. Petersburg Beach, Florida Hotel – $100-$200. kayak.com Pirate Cruise – $29-$37 captainmemo.com Ft. De Soto Park Campgrounds Reservations – $30-$40 pubtitles.co.pinellas.fl.us Orlando, Florida Hotel – $100-$200 kayak.com CityWalk – Free Downtown Disney – Free Dinosaur World – $12.75 dinosaurworld.com Kennedy Space Center – $41 kennedyspacecenter.com * Hotel prices are approximated for one room, four guests and the flights are round-trip.

Compiled from the Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 reports.

The Most Dangerous Game On Jan. 31, a student was referred to the judicial board when the Head Resident of McKay Hall reported that they had a pellet gun and pellets in their room.

MacBook (into thin) Air Between 2:30 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 31, a student reported that he left his laptop in the Library when he went to class. When he returned after class, he discovered that it had been stolen. The case is still open.

At UT Tuesday On Feb. 1, there was a report made about possible drugs in three separate rooms in McKay Hall. The students were referred to the judicial board.

Trifecta On Feb. 4, an underage student was intoxicated and in possession of a

fraudulent I.D. The student was found passed out by University Dr. and West Kennedy Blvd.

But 38 was OK? On Feb. 4, a student’s vehicle was impounded and removed from campus for having 39 tickets. They were referred to the judicial board.

This Week’s Student Government Meeting... *On Friday beginning at approximately 10:45 a.m., a number of University emergency communications systems will be tested. *Deadline for advisor change requests for the Spring Semester is Feb. 28.

Poke?

On Feb. 5, a student reported being harassed via Facebook and emailed by unidentified students. The case is pending further investigation.

*From April 1-3 UT’s Entrepreneurs will attend the Entrepreneur’s South East Entrepreneurship Conference

Baby, You’re a Firework Around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 6, a student riding in a vehicle threw a lit firecracker at two pedestrians. They were referred to the judicial board.

Have any questions or concerns? Contact Student Government at SG@ut.edu.

Cara Fetzer assembled these reports.

3

*Student Government Election will take place soon

Student Government is your voice. Join us at our meeting every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in Reeves Theater. All students are welcome.

4 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

TRAVEL SERIES

Return to Palestine

By YARA ABBAS Staff Writer

I have lived in Palestine most of my life. In 2007 I came to the U.S.A to study at the University of Tampa, and since then my appreciation for my vibrant town in Palestine called Ramallah grew.

Many people assume that Palestine must be dangerous and scary because it is a warstricken country, and I have been through some terrifying days, but despite all that, it is full of events and activities and places to visit. And it is a lot safer today than a few years ago. Every time I visit home I notice how beautiful all the olive trees, palm trees, pine trees and fig trees are dispersed around the land.

I notice how lovely the crowded streets in the downtowns of towns like Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Jericho, and Bethlehem full of old shops with vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables. I remember the lovely sounds of the azan and prayer calling from mosques and church bells.

Graffiti on the Apartheid Wall

Sunset over Ramallah

In the old city of Ramallah

Camel eating on the way to Nablus

Cheese, tomato, and basil pie

Narrow tunnel in the streets of Bethlehem

The popular olives at a market in Palestine

Weekly Arts and Craft Market

Entrance to an old house in Naplus

Olive tree on hilltop in Ramallah

TRAVEL SERIES

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

5

DUI Safety Checkpoints Move Closer to Campus

[From Front, Checkpoint]

to the “Intoxilyzer” — a breath-testing machine that uses infrared technology to capture an alcohol “fingerprint” (made by CMI, Inc.). Drivers suspected of an illegal driving blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or greater are transported to the BAT-mobile and, after a 20-minute officer observation period, are asked to blow into the machine for testing. If the Intoxilyzer measures a BAC of 0.08 or above, an arrest is made.

Leaving the BAT-mobile and taking a step into the innerworkings of the DUI

checkpoint, one could see that the process is simple enough. The Operation 3D team sets up along a section of North Blvd. and conducts individual car stops for general traffic violations and inspections — each car spending an average of two minutes at the checkpoint. As for the night’s results?

There were no DUI suspects on this particular night.

“Checkpoints are more for a presence,” Deputy McMurphy insists. To the impatient few, the DUI checkpoint may be a hassle; however, putting the ever-urgent trip to Wal-Mart aside and gaining a two minute delay of driving to prevent a life being lost

to a drunk driver seems well worth it.

As a university that has been subject to more than enough DUI-related accidents, our need to look out for one another is greater than ever — working with the Operation 3D team gives us one way to fight back against losing another member of our UT family to drunk driving.

So next time you find yourself frustrated by a DUI checkpoint on your way to a concert, dinner or movie, think of yourself as being part of the greater DUI-prevention picture, where each of us watches each other’s “BAC.” For more information on Operation

3D including upcoming scheduled DUI checkpoints, visit http://www.hcso.tampa. fl.us/DUI-Enforcement.aspx.

To learn how to calculate your BAC and gain further information on DUI prevention resources, contact Gina Firth, Associate Dean of Students, at gfirth@ut.edu, or visit www.watchyourbac.com.

David Wistocki is UT’s Student Health Promotions Coordinator for the Associate Dean of Students and currently works with the Watch Your BAC Campaign to minimize high-risk drinking behaviors. To contact him, e-mail dwistocki@spartans. ut.edu.

Ban on Homeless in Tampa Bay Area Shut Down

By CHANNING HAILEY News Reporter

Students at the University of Tampa are fairly familiar with the issue of homelessness.

Security declined to respond to any questions concerning incidents of homeless people from the vicinity entering campus, but according to weekly campus reports, there have been several cases of homeless persons trespassing onto UT property lately.

On Monday nights, some members of Extreme Elite take meals across the street to the steps of the First Baptist Church, where some of Tampa’s huddled masses gather to rest for the night.

Freshman Frederique De Rooy is one of the students that takes them meals. “We’ll take the meals and just spend time talking to them and listening to their stories,” said De Rooy.

Freshman Tim Courtney said, “While I have only seen a few people on the steps of the church across from campus, I have seen quite a few more [homeless people] on Dale Mabry.”

Whether or not one encounters derelict wanderers near campus, it is impossible to drive down Kennedy or Dale Mabry without seeing them on the corners of streets and the medians holding signs asking for spare change.

Sophomore Roger Andrés Trujillo said, “There’s a lot of them there [. . .] asking for money or selling water on the intersection between Dale Mabry and Kennedy.”

In a recent issue of the St. Petersburg Times, panhandling in the Bay Area was brought into question.

A proposed ordinance would land panhandlers a 60-day jail sentence and up to $500 in fines.

The ban on panhandling was rejected after numerous people, especially vendors

who sell newspapers to commuters, argued that their livelihood would be destroyed.

If the ban had passed, it would have certainly affected the panhandlers in Tampa, but what about those who stand on the street corners with intentions other than collecting money?

“There is one that sticks out in my mind because he is always carrying a ventriloquist doll, like the comedian Jeff Dunham; and he holds this large sign on his back,” said Courtney.

That man goes by Poor Penny Carson and can be found on different medians on Dale Mabry. At first glance, he appears to be just another beggar asking for money, but he makes it clear that what he is seeking is, rather, a listening ear.

Carson, who claimed to have once been an entertainer in L.A., said that he gave up his profession in 1976 to spread “the Lord’s word of the coming of the end of the world.” Carson said that one night,

“I opened my mouth and I said ‘Lord, if I deliver the word you give me through the mouth of that dummy, man might take heed.’”

That is exactly what he has been doing for almost 35 years. He stands on medians across the country telling drivers of the coming of the Rapture and “the words of the Holy Ghost that come upon my mind” through the mouth of Sweet-Pea Johnson.

Carson said he has spoken in every state except for Hawaii and Alaska and has travelled around the country three times.

He has been in Tampa for about a month.

When told about the attempts to remove panhandlers from the streets of Tampa, Carson seemed outraged at the notion that he was doing his work for money.

He stated, “If I wanted to make money, I’d steal it.” He paused for a moment before concluding, “I’d still be an entertainer.”

Channing Hailey can be reached at channing.hailey@spartans.ut.edu.

6 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

Diversions FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 21, 2011

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Mackenize Crowkey/The Minaret

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Grew older 5 American __: Pacific territory 10 Employee protection org.

14 Chore list heading 15 Old Geo model 16 Carrot or turnip 17 Legendary spring that creates spring chickens?

20 Garment border 21 “I’ll treat!�

22 Three, in Turin 23 College concentration 26 Pungent salad green 27 Mighty long time 28 Stat for Mariano Rivera 29 CEO’s degree 31 Ford classics 33 Carvey of “Wayne’s World�

35 Karaoke singer, usually 38 Grammy revoked from Milli Vanilli 42 Polite “Ready to go?�

43 Linger in the tub 45 Start to melt 48 Bordeaux brushoff 50 Paranormal showman Geller 51 “Fresh Air� airer 52 Rear end 55 Political aficionado’s station 57 Absorbed, as a cost 58 Circular cookie 59 Stable tidbit 60 Portland Trail Blazers’ home 66 Good fortune 67 Cursor controller 68 Diabolical 69 Fawn’s father 70 Campfire remains 71 Name that can precede the first word of 17-, 38or 60-Across DOWN 1 DOJ division 2 Bit of baby babble

The Plant Hall veranda provides a peaceful scene for students breaking between classes.

2/21/11

By Angela Olson Halsted and Doug Peterson

3 Academic URL ender 4 Hawaiian who sang “Pearly Shells�

5 Inbox junk 6 Magnate Onassis 7 23-Across opposite 8 Atmospheric layer 9 Car sound system 10 El Dorado gold 11 Justice replaced

by Sotomayor 12 Souped-up ride 13 Aegean capital 18 Time in office 19 “I agree, however ...’’ 23 __ school 24 Part of U.A.E. 25 Dick’s storybook partner 26 Caravan creature 30 Girl group with the 1986 #1 hit “Venus�

32 Spring blossom 34 Admin. aide 36 Pointy tool 37 Like a lion’s coat 39 It “comes on little cat feet,� in a Sandburg poem

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

40 Campbell’s product 41 Fictional plantation 44 Reunion group 45 Entangles 46 Decline to participate 47 Grapefruitflavored diet drink 49 Academic sports org.

2/21/11

53 Detective Wolfe and an emperor 54 “Obviously!�

56 Throat bacteria 59 Tip jar bills 61 Heart test letters 62 Suffix with Canton 63 Anticipatory time 64 Trivial point 65 Drink by a dartboard

Week ending Feb. 8, 2011

#1 Album

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

United States Grenade ‡ %UXQR 0DUV Firework ‡ .DW\ 3HUU\ Barton Hollow The Civil Wars

The Time ‡ %ODFN (\HG 3HDV Hey Baby ‡ 3LWEXOO

(1) 1 (4) 2 3

(2) 4

Rocketeer ‡ )DU (DVW 0RYHPHQW 5\DQ 7HGGHU (3) 5

United Kingdom Price Tag ‡ -HVVLH -

(5) 1

Rolling In the Deep ‡ $GHOH

(3) 3

Grenade ‡ %UXQR 0DUV 21 $GHOH

We R Who We R ‡ .H KD Higher ‡ Taio Cruz

(1) 2 (2) 4 5

Spain Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You) ‡ (QULTXH ,JOHVLDV

(2) 1

Barbra Streisand ‡ 'XFN 6DXFH

(3) 3

The Time ‡ %ODFN (\HG 3HDV Pablo Alboran 3DEOR $OERUDQ

Blanco y Negro ‡ 0DOX

Solamente Tu ‡ 3DEOR $OERUDQ Source: iTunes

THAT MONKEY TUNE by

Michael A. Kandalaft

(1) 2 (4) 4 5

Š 2011 MCT

Horoscopes

By Linda C Black / Tribune Media Services

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today presents you with sudden changes.

Be willing to let go and ride the waves.

Or you can counter the current, if you’re willing to put up a fight.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Carry on with your goals and your ideas.

Just make sure that you leave room for other people’s contributions. They really care for you, and you might miss them.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) No pain, no gain. It’s all right if you don’t want to feel pain today, though. Sometimes, it’s good to take time off. Get some rest for tomorrow’s race.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) There may be some bumpy miscommunications in romance today.

Brush the dust off, and focus on your longterm goals. You have a lot to look forward to.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Emotions run like a river. Trust your intuition for powerful business decisions.

Great inventions come from accidents.

Open your eyes, look around and appreciate your world.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Get out of the house. It’s better to avoid rush hour. Questions don’t always have to have answers. Keep asking them, even if just for the fun of it.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Look for freedom in the most unusual places. You’ll be surprised by what you find. Surround yourself by beauty and meditate. Let your mind go where it wants to go.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Take care of your true friends. They’ll be there to take care of you when you’re not feeling so hot. The most powerful aspect of communication is listening.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Great seasonal fruit and vegetables delight you with their deliciousness. If you don’t already have one, it’s a good time now to set up an exercise routine. Health feels good.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You were once a young child. Forgive the mistakes of the past, and embrace the possibilities of the future with creative joy -- just like a child.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Be careful where you step. It’s time to clean up. Create a space in your home that you adore. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from family members.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Find inspiration in an old letter, and then write a new one to a loved one -- better on paper than electronically. Be honest. Seal it with a kiss.

Arts + Entertainment

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

7

Jared Mahone Brings Soul to SP ‘Unplugged’

By AMANDA SIERADZKI

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

Tuesday night, a crowd mulled about with $1 coffees in hand, while I sat comfortably on Stadium’s couches at my keyboard. We were gathered in front of Jazzman’s for the first Student Production’s Unplugged session of the semester, ready for Jared Mahone to blow us away.

Mahone hails from Columbus, Ohio and came prepared with a guitar, looping machine and his fellow band-mate, introduced to the crowd only as “Alex” (like Madonna or Cher).

Mahone jumped right into his set with a friendly “We’re gonna play some music,

Justin Davis/The Minaret

Alex, known only by his singular first name, backs up Mahone on rhythm guitar.

okay?” Mahone belted out the first song with a voice that paid homage to jazz fusion and R&B artists. The optimistic lyrics of the opener lent themselves to Mahone’s blue-eyed soul: “Can’t be all there is to me ... it takes time to be fine.”

Mahone and Alex are only a halfrepresentation of their band, a point that was brought up when Mahone explained to the audience the use of the looping machine. “[We’re] not trying to be innovative, it’s just helpful.”

Mahone is big on audience interaction, a practice made apparent throughout the set.

He launches into a monologue concerning the “natural responses” one might have while listening to him and Alex jam “like snapping your fingers and clapping your hands.”

He joked however that “if you stood up and danced though, we’d probably make fun of you. This is not the time or place.”

Mahone also mentions that the groove of the music often causes audience members to bop their head, “which is completely acceptable” because it’s as if you’re saying, “yes, I happen to agree with what you’re doing.”

The lightheartedness of the evening did not stop there. The dialogue with audience members flowed effortlessly through song, just as easily as Mahone remixed covers with originals.

Mahone was full of fun cover songs leading to a discussion of his inspirations.

“I’m a songwriter,” Mahone said, “I was influenced first and foremost by a lot of soul music.” Among the eclectic artists and songs were Bill Whithers’ “Just the Two of Us”; “Billy Jean,” by Michael Jackson;

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“My Humps,” by the Black Eyed Peas and Stevie Wonders’ “Superstitious.”

Mahone introduces one of his favorite songs, “In Your Eyes,” by Peter Gabriel, by saying that “there’s songs that I write, then there’s songs that I wish I wrote.”

A memorable moment was when Mahone began to discuss some of his quirkier influences. He sampled the Wonder Years’ theme song “With a Little Help from My Friends” by the Beatles, citing it as one of his many musical inspirations.

He followed this song with perhaps one of the greatest TV theme sing-a-along songs of all time: the Full House theme song. Mahone admits, “even just fake TV music was inspiring to me [growing up].”

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Mahone kept audiences hooked by strong stage presence and audience interaction. In addition to original songs, Mahone covered a diverse array of artists including Michael Jackson.

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The crowd’s enthusiasm fed into Mahone’s infectious spirit and he candidly put his guitar down. He stated that the next song was what he “started gravitating towards to become a better writer,” then launched into an a cappella rendition of the Little Mermaid’s Part of Your World with no shame.

“I don’t care if you’re a dude, or a chick, or have fins; it’s inspiring.”

Audience members reveled in the Disney throwback as a chorus of girls shouted to correct Mahone’s temporary mix-up with the lyrics.

To read this article in its entirety and for more A+E blogs, visit theminaretonline. com and minaretblog.com.

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8 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Sake It To Me: Koto Japanese Impresses

By MORIAH PARISH

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

The popular “Spartans After Dark” event takes on a Valentine’s Day theme this year.

Valentines Dance After Dark

By SOPHIE ERBER

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

University of Tampa’s Student Productions is mainly known for planning the annual spring concert, but Spartans After Dark is another one of SP’s most anticipated events.

This year’s After Dark is being called a “Valentine’s Day Bonanza” and will feature prize giveaways for you and your Valentine, including gift cards to restaurants, concert tickets, movie tickets and a spa trip for two.

Who couldn’t use one of those?

“Students will be able to take pictures in a photo booth and play bingo,” said Christine Giraldez, SP Recreation Chair. “The prizes are themed for couples/ Valentine’s Day, but there will be other ‘normal’ prizes as well, such as iPods, cameras, Wiis and DVDs, just to name a few.”

Lots of planning goes into the “After Dark” events and the grand prizes always draw big crowds.

Sophomore Ali Cloutier is looking forward to the event.

“I can’t wait to go,” she said. “Definitely dragging ‘the boyfriend’ with me so we’ll have a better chance to win some of the cool prizes.”

Desserts and refreshments will also be provided throughout the night. The event is free, but the prizes and snacks are limited.

Come out to the Vaughn courtyard between 9:30 p.m. and midnight on Friday. See you there!

Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@spartans. ut.edu.

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On Super Bowl Sunday nearly everything was closed.

The streets were as bare as those of a ghost town and all was quiet, save for the muted cheering and yelling of fans holing up in houses.

Passing restaurant after restaurant to find only dark windows and empty parking lots, finally there was a light on in Koto Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar on South Howard Avenue.

The neon sign read open and I whipped in, giddy to have finally found something.

It was 9:30 p.m. and their sign stated they closed at ten.

I stepped in to find an empty restaurant, with employees sitting at the bar, waiting for their shifts to end.

“Are you still serving?” I asked.

“Sure, sure, sit anywhere you like,” replied the hostess.

The sushi bar looked appealing.

All the food had been put away, but the granite counter tops were gleaming under the red glow of hanging lights.

I sat.

A young, nervous man appeared, informing me that his name was Jim and he would be my server.

I requested hot green tea, thinking it would be suitable to the cuisine and atmosphere.

He quickly brought it out — a ceramic, handle-less mug accompanied by a traditional cast-iron tea pot in the Japanese style, the type carried by Teavana stores in most malls.

Being a tea enthusiast myself, I also own a teapot like that, and I could not have been more thrilled.

The tea had an earthy, grass-like flavor that is unattainable by merely steeping tea bags.

It was clearly a quality loose-leaf.

With such an excellent first impression, I pored through the menu, anxious to see what else they offered.

I felt bad making them bring out all the sushi preparations for just one guest, so I turned to the grilled section of entrees.

Under the Hibachi section, the menu stated each meal was served with clear soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, fried rice, vegetables and noodles.

I was sold, and settled on the chicken and salmon combination.

While I was ordering, a second guest walked in, and she requested a sushi entree of some sort.

The chef appeared, lugging all the accoutrements of his craft.

He was entrancing to watch, delicately laying out the seaweed and rice, filleting the contents, and finally rolling and chopping the items into perfect spirals.

I asked him how long he had been doing this.

“Ten years,” he said with a smile, clearly pleased I had taken an interest.

Jim quickly brought the soup and salad.

The soup was a tasty broth, with a few small pieces of mushroom, onion and scallion mixed in for flavor.

The salad was a decent size, with a delicious, but strange orange-colored dressing on it.

When I asked what type of dressing it was, Jim told me it was mayonnaise.

“Like Thousand Island?” I asked.

“Um, yes, like Thousand Island.”

I think the different flavor I detected

Moriah Parrish/The Minaret

Koto Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar, located on South Howard Avenue, has, in addition to the sushi, quality green tea served in a cast-iron tea pot.

Moriah Parrish/The Minaret

Koto forgoes fanciness and simply offers great Japanese style food. Traditional seafood dishes and steaks are served by an extremely friendly wait-staff.

was soy sauce, but I couldn’t be sure.

Whatever it was, it was pretty good.

Jim quietly and unobtrusively removed the soup and salad dishes as he presented the gargantuan dish containing my dinner.

It was all there, on one round plate at least 15 inches in diameter.

Two mountains of fried rice and noodles took up half the plate, while the other side was just as covered in vegetables, shrimp, a salmon fillet and cubes of chicken.

Almost everything was right. The rice, noodles and vegetables were nothing exceptional, but were hot, fresh and had the same Asian-style flavor that one expects of such items.

The shrimp and the salmon had been grilled to their prime and were still tender and juicy.

The chicken, however, was tough and dry, leaving something to be desired.

Still, overall, it was tasty and exactly what I expected from a Japanese steakhouse.

Nothing fancy, but most things were done quite well.

I gave up on conquering all the rice and noodles, opting to save room for dessert.

I asked Jim what his favorite was.

He pointed to a raspberry cheesecake brulée.

Intrigued, I asked for one to finish up the meal.

The cheesecake was good, for cheesecake.

I didn’t understand the brulée part, though.

I saw a few burnt marks on the top,

but it had clearly been done before the cake was chilled, so it was not crisp, like creme brulée would have been.

The raspberry aspect was good, however, and the vanilla ice-cream on the side was a nice touch.

Full to the brim, I requested the check.

Jim brought it, asking how the meal had gone. I told him I was delighted and that everything had been great, including the service. He looked pleased and a bit relieved.

“It’s my first night,” he said.

I never would have known.

Morriah Parish can be reached at mparrish@spartans.ut.edu.

The Dish Green Hot Tea: $2.00 Chicken and Salmon Hibachi: $22.00 Raspberry Cheesecake Brulée: $5.95 Average entrée: $18.00 Atmosphere: Subdued and Exotic Service: Nervous but Extremely Polite Variety: Grilled or Sushistyle Japanese fare Wine: Red, White, Hot/Cold Sake

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

9

Making the Most of Valentine’s Day

By CAROLYN HATCH Special to the Minaret

For some students, Valentine’s Day consists of a lovely evening at a romantic restaurant, followed by the evacuation of roommates.

On the other hand, many students will spend the evening wallowing in loneliness or being thankful that they are free of a timesucking, emotionally draining parasite that may also be known as a significant other.

For those of you that plan on romancing the man in your life, I am here to guide you through an evening of sexual appeal and, most importantly, class.

Although I do hate to be cliché, the red

mrbigger80/photobucket.com

Ralph Lauren “Romance” is among the most sought after Valentine’s Day scents.

dress is a must-have for the most romantic night of the year.

Whether your red dress is sleek and sophisticated, youthful and vibrant or fresh and playful, any style is bound to look fabulous.

Though a daring plunge will never be out of style on an evening of love and lust, a barely-there back with a bit more coverage in the front is a classic that screams “dropdead gorgeous.”

Of course, it is crucial that the hottest pair of heels on the market accompany this dress.

Yes, black heels are always a musthave but, if you’re daring enough, pink is the way to go on Cupid’s holiday.

That red dress sitting in your closet is waiting for its time to shine, and I can assure you that if it hits anywhere above the knee, your man will adore you even more on this Valentine’s Day. While the world has the privilege of observing a woman’s public appearance, there is always that one thing that only her man is given the opportunity to appreciate.

Lingerie comes in many shapes, sizes, textiles and colors: sheer, satin and lace.

A woman can never go wrong with the lingerie in which she feels sexiest.

Because the beginning of the evening will be carried out in a brilliant red dress, I would suggest that now is the time for variations of pink, black and, of course, an innocent white.

Ladies, don’t think that those heels have fulfilled their duty, because they still have some time to put in.

Clancer0/photobucket.com

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Sexy lingerie on Valentine’s Day is a tried and true way to excite your partner.

When all else fails, slip on a little red dress to dazzle your romantic interest.

But looks are not everything.

Everyone knows that the perfect scent is sometimes the key to a man’s heart.

Every woman’s skin requires a different combination of ingredients, but my most desired scent of the season is Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb.

This breath-taking scent is my boyfriend’s personal favorite and its astounding blend of rose extracts, amber, patchouli, musk, bergamot, sambac, orange tea, tea, jasmine, freesia and catleya orchid is to die for.

I do suggest testing the product on your own skin before purchasing it, as it can be

quite strong on some.

But Flowerbomb is long-lasting and lovely for any occasion.

A few more favorites are Ralph Lauren Romance; Lovely, by Sarah Jessica Parker and J’adore, by Dior.

These scents are sure to make you feel fresh and beautiful on this special evening.

No matter what articles of clothing you wear or which perfume you choose on Valentine’s Day, confidence is and always will be the key to radiant beauty.

Carolyn Hatch can be reached at cvhatch@spartans.ut.edu.

Scientists Come Close to Invisibility

By TODD SANBORN

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

The thought of living as Harry Potter is something many of us have thought about.

Besides Harry Potter’s cape, wand and flying broomstick, Harry was also in possession of an invisibility cloak, a tool that he used to sneak around to, somehow or another, prevent Lord Voldemort from killing him.

These are all items that many would surely pay a hefty penny for if they existed in the real world.

Probably not many believe it’s really possible, but it seems that at the University of Birmingham, scientists have built an invisibility cloak capable of hiding objects from the human eye.

The capabilities seem endless.

Many of us have had the desire to be a harmless fly on the wall and listen in on conversations between parents, friends and lovers.

With the discovery of a material capable of creating a “near invisibility cloak,” those days are getting closer to being a reality.

Scientists are reflecting light through a piece of calcite (a material found in large quantities throughout the world, especially in marble), which reflects the light around the crystal, eliminating an object from the human eye.

Scientists create the cloak by combining two prisms of calcite, joined together to make a pyramid with basically a hole in the bottom to allow an object to fit in when the pyramid is placed over it.

The underside of the prism is then coated with gold to make it more reflective.

The prism hides any objects underneath it because light rays pass through it.

The calcite bends the light and hence the human eye views the pyramid as flat.

Anything underneath the prism in the divot can’t be seen.

The cloaking mechanism does have it’s limits.

Currently, the prisms can only hold something small like a paperclip or a pin, but plans to create larger prisms that can hide larger objects are in place.

And while the object under the prism is invisible, the prism itself is still completely visible.

The cloak also has to be placed on a surface, like a table, to hide an object underneath.

As scientists perfect the science of hiding objects, doors will continue to open for possible uses.

The government could employ cloaks to hide tanks and armory from terrorists.

A teenager would no longer have to hide their cell phone from parent’s prying eyes; just slip it under the cloak.

We are still years away from developing the crystals in an ideal way.

It has been stated that a crystal seven meters long and two meters high would be big enough to hide a large dog.

Imagine how big the crystal would have to be to hide a car, a tank or a house.

And what is someone going to think when they see a twenty-one foot long crystal in the middle of a park?

Unlike Harry Potter, scientists are not yet at the point where they can throw a cloak over something and obscure it from view forever.

To learn more about this magical cloaking device, navigate to www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/feb/01/ scientists-invent-invisibility-cloak?INTCMP=SRCH. Todd Sanborn can be reached at toddalan@ me.com.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Top Ten Valentine’s Day Flicks

By LAUREN ROSSI

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and love is in the air. How do you plan on spending this day set aside to commemorate love? Whether it’s with your sweetheart, a heart shaped box of chocolate that you bought for yourself or a friend, the perfect way to start or end this Feb. 14 is by cuddling up to watch a movie.

Now, just because it is Valentine’s day doesn’t mean that my top ten Valentine’s movies are all “loveydovey.” I want to grab the attention of not only the smitten girl, but her boyfriend as well, along with the singles sulking the day away and the nice guy who isn’t more than a friend.

Wherever you fit into this passionate day, sit back and enjoy the show.

10. He’s Just Not That Into You I’m going to be blunt: get over him. Not to be harsh, but the title says it all. If you’re dressed in black on

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) is an actionpacked alternative to a romantic comedy.

Valentine’s day while everyone else is in red, this is for you. Today is the day to re-watch this movie as many times as you need to get the hint that, well, he’s just not that into you.

9. 40 Year Old Virgin This movie proves that you can get lucky at any age. To all the “nice” guys out there, good news: it’s true, nice guys finish last! Funny man Steve Carell will have you laughing this holiday.

8. The Shining This has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day, but, hey, it’s a good idea! To all the fellas who don’t want to deal with a romantic love story, this scary movie will have your girl grasping on to you in no time.

7. Romeo and Juliet I am of course referring to the ’96 version with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio. A modern twist to Shakespeare’s timeless story of lovers’ devotion.

6. Valentines Day There are too many celebrities to keep track of, but, fortunately, it has a lot of good eye-candy.

The plot: adorable and romantic love at all ages and found in ordinary places.

It’s okay, go ahead and envision yourself playing the role alongside Ashton Kutcher or Jessica Alba.

5. Mr. & Mrs. Smith The film is responsible for the break up of America’s sweethearts Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.

Hot, steamy and thrilling, all-in-one the perfect way for you and your other half to compromise between action and love story.

4. Love and Basketball It’s all about the girl-next-door love affair. They share a passion for each other and for the game. Perfect for the athletic couple.

The Notebook (2004) has become a Valentine’s Day staple for couples.

3. A Walk to Remember We all remember these teenage lovers and their unexpected fate. This tear-jerker exemplifies how the power of love can change an individual when love and tragedy collide.

2. Titanic James Cameron’s take on the 99 year-old, real life love story. Love and history fused as one, this one is ideal for the hopeless romantic and/or history buff.

1. The Notebook So cliche, I know, but come on, you just have too. Nothing will stop true love; not family, class, society, geography or a current lover. Noah and Allie’s love and passion for one another is undeniable.

Now, if you don’t like any of my suggestions, head out to the theatre to see No Strings Attached, the latest addition to the romantic comedy genre so popular this time of the year.

Lauren Rossi can be reached at lrossi@spartans.ut.edu.

All Cameras on Student Directors

By TOMY WILKERSON

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

It’s about that time of the year when overly-caffeinated students can be found sprinting across campus with film equipment attached to their person, eager to make deadlines.

In a matter of days, posters for auditions and scene shootings will be occuring across campus, and students that have never stood in front of a camera will get their five minutes to shine.

That’s right, Campus Movie Fest is in full-effect.

What began as one university’s endeavor, has become the world’s largest film festival.

With over 75,000 students participating around the globe, the University of Tampa is fortunate enough to be hosting Campus Movie Fest on our campus for the seventh year in a row.

This year, prizes such as cameras, iPods, video cameras, iTunes gift cards, Final Cut Pro and much more are being offered.

So what does one have to do in order win these amazing prizes?

Make a five minute short film.

The challenge?

You only have one week to make your video.

Participants will be provided with all the necessary equipment; including an Apple Laptop, HD video camera, microphones and 24 hour technical support.

Campus Movie Fest will kick off Feb. 9, 2011.

Students will be able to pick up

their materials in the Vaughn Lobby between 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Then it’s all systems go. Materials will be collected again on Feb. 15 between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Vaughn Lobby.

Once all the entries have been presented, an eclectic group of faculty and students will judge the submissions on Feb. 18.

When Feb. 23 rolls around, the top 15 will premiere at the big red carpet finale at 7:30 p.m. in the Vaughn Courtyard.

Some of the titles available for winning include: Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Story, Best Editing, Best

Campus Movie Fest is an outlet for student directors to flaunt their talent.

Actor, Best Actress, Best Organization and the AT&T Wild Card.

But that’s only the beginning.

Winners will also get the opportunity to receive an invitation to the International Grand Finale as well as Distinguished Filmmakers Network.

“Personally I love CMF. I’ve done it both years I’ve been at UT and have blast doing it.

“We’re going to win it this year,” senior film and media arts major Keith Piesco stated.

“It’s great when you have a group of friends doing it together. Don’t think about making an Oscar-winning performance, just have fun with it,” junior, film and media arts major Daniel Muñoz chimed in.

If you’re interested, you can sign up at www. campusmoviefest.com.

Kassie Monsees can be reached at kmonsees@spartans.ut.edu.

Tomy Wilkerson can be reached at tlwilkerson@spartans.ut.edu.

[ ]

10 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

With over 75,000 students participating around the globe, the University of Tampa is fortunate enough to be hosting Campus Movie Fest on our campus for the seventh year in a row.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

Singing Trees Twist and Folk at Grand Salon

By RICHARD SOLOMON

Arts + Entertainment Columnist

Last Saturday the University of Tampa hosted the Singing Trees, a unique music group featuring Ray Belanger on the hammered dulcimer and Lloyd Goldstein on the double bass.

The duo plays songs together, describing their sound as “folk music with a classical twist.”

There were about 60 people in the crowd on Saturday in the Plant Hall Grand Salon, where the concert was performed.

There appeared to be about half-adozen UT students among the crowd.

The rest of the audience belonged to an older generation.

Not being much of an appreciator of

either classical or folk music, It was an unusual experience for me.

The rest of the audience seemed to be enjoying themselves, but I didn’t find the music to my liking.

Through, if you’re under 55, this may not be a concert for you.

I do like some classical songs, but these didn’t really “wow” me.

Several times Belanger or Goldstein would mention how beautiful the lyrics were in the next song they’d be performing, but because neither of them sing, the audience missed out on hearing them.

At one point, Belanger did recite lyrics to one song like it was a poem.

The duo got off to a late start, due to inclement weather conditions.

Chelsea Michealson/The Minaret

Singing Trees visited the Plant Hall Grand Salon to showcase their unique fusion of folk and classical music.

They performed for roughly 45 minutes, taking pauses between each song so one of them could explain what the next piece was or why they liked it.

Among their repertoire were Celtic songs, a Hebrew wedding song and even a song Goldstein composed himself.

After the performance, the two stuck around to answer questions and sell their CD. If you or someone you know likes classical music or appreciate the intimacy of a live show, send them out the next time the Singing Trees perform.

Richard Solomon can be reached at rsolomon@spartans.ut.edu.

The Scoop

11

Dedicatory Ceremony with Haig Mardirosian When: Saturday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 2 p.m.

Where: The Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values What: The dean of the College of Arts and Letters will perform a solo concert.

Admission: Free, but must sign up on www.ut.edu.

Comedian Kira Soltanovich

When: Wednesday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m.

Where: Reeve’s Theatre What: SP presents Soltanovich in stand up comedy.

Admission: Free.

Mackenzie Crowley/The Minaret

Last Friday the Quartet de Minaret performed for UT students. Make sure to check out The Crescent at minaretblog.com to read article by Laurel Sanchez. Also featured are the Pick of the Week movie and the Gossip Girl blog.

12 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

COMMENTARY

Commentary

Dictionary Debate; Are Urban’s Entries Myth or Reality?

By RICHARD SOLOMON Columnist

Urban Dictionary is a popular website where users submit definitions for slang terms and colloquial phrases. Typing “University of Tampa” into the search bar returns three results.

The first result listed was clearly written by a student, and mentioned that UT is one of “the biggest party schools in Florida.”

This same entry has the following in the “example” area: “The University of Tampa…we pregame like you party and live where you spring break! [sic]” –submitted by “STUDENTTT.” Here is a portion from the second result: “This extremely overpriced, mediocre university is chock full of… rich kids who are not smart enough to get into a prestigious private university… the fact that female students outnumber their male counterparts, this school has quite a reputation for manswapping, gangbanging females… if they don’t have room for you on dorms, they will put you up in a nearby hotel… UT is a more expensive, less adequate alternative to the nearby University of South Florida. [sic]” The entirety of this post can be found on the website, submitted by “Tampa boy10.” The final line of his submission is, “The famous saying about the University of Tampa… ‘You can’t spell slut without UT.’”

[

Dictionary where anyone can get on and edit.. I’m sure if you look up Harvard there will be some negative comments about them, too.”

I looked, and he was right. One entry made about Harvard University described it as, “A cesspool of arrogant snobs who will one day own a disproportionate amount of America’s wealth.”

Granted, some of these things are hard to argue with. It seems like every other day I hear about the ratio of two girls for every guy on campus. This is the case in some of my classes, but not all.

Regardless, none of them will sleep with me, so I can personally vouch for the lack of “sluttiness” amongst my female counterparts. None Spartan can deny that UT does in fact put students up in a hotel. But we know it’s because there isn’t enough on campus housing, right?

The question is, whose responsibility is it to clean up UT’s image?

This isn’t the first website where I’ve found negative comments regarding UT. Is it the students’ fault for completely falling into the kind of stereotypes we hear about our school? Should we blame the admissions department for alegedly letting absolutely anyone in?

“Stereotypes are stereotypes,” said freshman Eden Safolie. “They’re founded on statements that are somewhat true. But I feel that they steer away from the actual truth after a certain point; especially after they hit 20 ears.”

I don’t feel like myself or my friends fit any of the stereotypes, positive or negative. Most of the women I’ve met at this school are the exact opposite of

I’m not content with being belittled. You shouldn’t be either.

That is what the Internet thinks of our school. I didn’t know any of this when I became a Spartan. My tour guide neglected to mention anything about the partying level or the UT skanks. The tour guide was too busy explaining how our business school is one of the top 45, according to The Princeton Review. She told me about the small class sizes, not mentioning the whole “less adequate version of USF” thing.

I’m perturbed that this is the reputation of our school and its students. Even more disturbing is that the one “positive” entry for us on the list isn’t really positive at all.

It discusses how amazing UT students are at partying and implies that we’re better than other schools. This just furthers the stereotype of the “UT jerk” — that we’re all arrogant, rich brats.

“I feel like [the comments] are almost irrelevant,” said freshman Shane Messmer.

“They’re just spewing words on Urban “There are great students at this school.

I think a lot of people say that people come here because they didn’t get into anywhere else, but I feel like it’s not that easy to get into. I had friends who didn’t get in here.

These comments are definitely exaggerated. UT has a high transfer rate but I think it’s just because people don’t know how to handle themselves.

They party too much and then they end up transferring out or being kicked out.”

Kaylyn Smith (sophomore, business management)

]

how they are portrayed in these types of comments, but again this could be because none of them are sleeping with me.

The women who seem to go through men like a kid goes through Dino chicken nuggets are usually fairly circumspect about it, and they number in the minority.

Seriously, this is our image, Spartans.

Those badmouthing us are going to grow up with us. I want to be proud of my school. I want to be proud of our amazing basketball team. I want people to remember our newspaper for the awards it has won. Are we content to let this be our image? These are our friends, our teachers, our girlfriends and our Greek organizations being badmouthed. This is us, ourselves, being slandered.

I’m not content with being belittled.

You shouldn’t be either.

Richard Solomon can be reached at richard.solomon@spartans.ut.edu.

“I love UT and I don’t think it’s full of cocky, rich out of state kids.

All of us are here for a reason and whoever wrote this is obviously wrong. I’m not saying UT isn’t expensive, but I don’t think it’s overpriced compared to schools up north. Schools up there are just as expensive if not more than UT.” Giovanna Evangelista (junior, criminology) “I think the comments are pretty typical.

Our generation is just into talking smack about each other’s schools.

Kasey Colucci (senior, advertising/PR)

By JOHN JACOBS

Asst. Commentary Editor

When it comes to knowing anything about anything, the most accurate and respectable source of information on the internet is urbandictionary.com.

When it was brought to my attention that the Urban Dictionary definition for the University of Tampa was full of false accusations and slanderous remarks, I was outraged.

So, here’s the break down of the problems in urbandictionary.com’s definition. First off, the definition defines our student body as “chock full of out of state rich students who are not smart enough to get into a prestigious private university.”

I’m not sure how this misconception started, but we don’t all fit in that category.

I discussed this with some friends. It was a Sunday afternoon, and we were hanging out on my yacht, smoking rolledup hundred-dollar bills and admiring my most recent chandelier purchases, when I said, “Our school isn’t full of rich kids, right?”

Everyone nodded in agreement. At least, I think they did. The DJ was loud at the time and the jets in the hot tub were going, so there’s a chance they didn’t hear me.

In reality, some students at UT, as there are at any university, happen to have a lot of money, but that does not mean the whole student body is rich. In fact, I know some kids here whose vacation homes are substantially smaller than their primary homes. I’ve even met a few students whose BMWs and Mercedes are leased!

What part of that statement sounds “rich” to you, urbandictionary.com?

Also, “students who are not smart enough to get into a prestigious private university?” I know many students at the University of Tampa who turned down countless other colleges to attend UT such as Everest, University of Phoenix Online, Polk County Truck Drivers Academy, South Howard College of Arts and Crafts and the very prestigious Tampa Mandatory Stripper Certification School.

So how dare you claim we’re not smart enough to get into a “prestigious private university!”

The Urban Dictionary definition continues, “Due to the small nature and the fact that female students outnumber their male counterparts, this school has quite a reputation for man-swapping, gang-banging females.” Not only is that a terribly offensive thing to say “I think it’s pretty funny. I think people can be hyperbolic and say things that are a little off the wall, but there’s an element of truth in mostly everything.

Based on one person’s experience with UT that might be what they got out of it; that it’s full of gangbanging females and lots of gays.

That Greek life is s--- because we don’t have Greek housing. But I personally wouldn’t want to go somewhere like USF where there are a few hundred people as opposed to 14 [at UT]. It’s all personal opinion.”

Cody Waters (senior, English)

when referring to our girls, but it’s also completely untrue. I could name at least four girls who haven’t been involved in a gangbang.

Technically, maybe one or two of them have, but they were too wasted to remember it, so that counts, right?

In all seriousness, our girls are very classy individuals who have more respect than to sleep around with random guys.

Do you really think you could just walk into the Kennedy any given Thursday night, meet a girl on the dance floor, make a connection with her solely on the fact that “you’re both from Long Island,” take her back to your dorm after 15 minutes of meeting her, then go on to have sex with her like it was nothing and never see her again?

No! That has never happened at the University of Tampa, and it never will!

The girls at UT are beautiful, mature young women who require proper courtship before they would ever let you hit that.

Besides the students, the definition also takes a shot at our school’s faculty saying, “The teachers have the least qualifications of any private school in the South.”

Now whether or not that’s true, I personally feel like I’ve learned a lot, and the teachers have always been helpful when they’re on campus and not at their real jobs. It’s amazing how fun and interesting some of UT’s courses can be, especially when some teachers only attend half of their own classes.

Emphasis on “some;” I’m not saying UT doesn’t have some extremely intelligent and active professors, but seriously, what the hell is going on when some teachers miss anywhere from 4-10 classes per semester? All I’m saying is, it looks bad when most of the class has a better attendance than the teacher.

Finally, the Urban Dictionary definition finishes up by poking fun at our schools housing situation, stating, “Best part, if they don’t have room for you in the dorms, they will put you up in a nearby hotel!”

Although it is true that you can be put in a hotel downtown if there’s no room on campus, that’s not the only option. The university might let you sleep behind the computer center.

John Jacobs can be reached at jjacobs@spartans.ut.edu.

Poll: Do you think there is some truth in Urban Dictionary Go online at theminaretonline. com to cast your vote.

“They’re bashing us for no particular reason. The people who wrote that need to take time to get to know the people [at UT].

Come get to know us, get to know the majority of our school. Find out for yourself” Jill Rosenblume (freshman, advertising/PR) Quotes collected by Josh Napier and Hannah Webster

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

COMMENTARY

13

The Antidote To The Venom That Has Poisoned Discourse

By NICOLE ROBINSON Columnist

Want to find the underlying sexism, racism and overall destructive sentiments that still exist in our current society?

The perfect solution has been found.

Give a polarizing topic (or any topic for that matter that people may disagree with) throw a little anonymity in the equation and there you have it: blind rage and anger.

Controversy plus anonymity equals unabashed heathenism.

This kind of anger can be observed on many Internet sites, including recently www.theminaretonline.com, where you can observe some of the most obscene, offensive claims and language fathomable.

Many news forums take preventative measures to moderate or even eliminate this destructive behavior from tainting their sites like CNN or The New York Times online, yet, when given the opportunity, it appears that a great number of individuals jump at the opportunity to trash talk, tear down and demonize those who aren’t in line with their philosophies.

While looking at some of the comments in the recent controversy, I was disgusted but not surprised at how quickly the comments became personal and even racially insulting. I could not help but wonder what would cause people to go to the absolute bottom of the barrel when disagreeing with each other. I know the people commenting on The Minaret site

and others aren’t monsters. They may be sitting next to me in a class, they may be a Marine or a nurse or just someone who happened upon some reading while scanning the Internet.

But what has turned us into acting like raving lunatics whose only life force is found in the disdain or tears of another?

Some may argue that this is simply a reflection of the political rhetoric taking place everyday on MSNBC and Fox News.

That argument may hold some water here. From Bill O’Reily to Maher, venomous words are often inserted into telecasts as if they are the norm for everyday communication.

Perhaps we mistake the passionate orations that sometimes border on angry rants as how we should talk to people face– to–face.

But there is a responsibility on the part of those who wish to really get a point across, not to a great audience of millions of thousands, but one person.

We can’t all be TV personalities ranting and raving in conversation or on the Internet. Off camera, frankly, it just looks bad.

Screaming at each other when we disagree are the antics of ten year-olds, and calling someone stupid or worse on the Internet is sophomoric and unproductive.

In 2008, Todd Leopold published a piece named “#@*!!! Anonymous Anger Rampant on Internet” for CNN, which confronted this issue.

He went to authorities like Professor Lesely Withers of Central Michigan University, who was quoted in the article as saying, “In the [pre-Internet era], you

dhaamza/flickr.com

We should use our speech to reach out and uplift one another. Just because you do not agree with a person’s argument, it doesn’t mean that you should use your words to demean them.

had to take ownership [of your remarks].

Now there’s a perception of anonymity.

People think what they say won’t have repercussions, and they don’t think they have to soften their comments.”

This appears to be true. We are taking solace in our anonymity and using it to facilitate our sick need to bring others down. While it might seem to the contrary, I am not completely against Internet rage.

Many are aware of sites just for this purpose. During my research I found a site called www.moanlog.com and in Leopold’s article he made mention of www. mybiggestcomplaint.com, which has topics of complaints from the iPhone 4 to people who use cellphones while driving.

Both of these sites seem to create a harmless forum for complaining or “raging” that doesn’t affect the subject of

the comments. There is indeed a time and place for countless activities, but there is no excuse for directing threats towards people you don’t know (or even those you do, for that matter).

We have grown to learn that it is not acceptable to talk to people in horrific ways.

We need to realize that this distorted version of ourselves that we have created on blogs and news sites is not who we really are or who we want to be.

It seems throughout history that if we are given the opportunity to hate, we take it up and welcome it, but this cannot be.

Let’s apply the lessons of the past and apply them to be better than before, and be better facilitators for civilized discourse.

Nicole Robinson can be reached at nrobinson@spartans.ut.edu.

The Evolution of Goals As A Transition Into Reality

By STEPHANIE SELANDER Commentary Contributor

“Sometimes I worry about you handling the real world, Stephanie.”

Okay, granted, that sort of comment makes sense if you take into account the fact that I do everything an hour or two before it’s due, have a habit of snuggling up with my laptop and a cozy blanket instead of researching in the library for an essay and am a pro at getting away with late assignments. Sure, that’s fair.

Still, to hear this — from a friend, no less — completely floored me. “What do you mean?” I retorted, horrified. “I do things!”

“Like what? What goals do you have?”

The word “goals” takes on a funny connotation as you get older. When you’re five, you can get away with saying “taking over the world,” or “getting a pet unicorn,” but when you’re in college people expect something a bit more useful than “I want to learn all the words to We Didn’t Start the Fire.” For example: “Get a job this summer and all A’s this semester.” And in the long run? Those goals definitely matter more than whether or not you can perform Billy Joel karaoke (unless you are, indeed, Billy Joel). Does that mean the people who don’t aren’t “go-getters” or are missing out on important life lessons? Maybe. Maybe not.

I could likely name all 150 Pokemon from the original first season, but I could not for the life of me name the 50 states and capitals. I know people who cringe at the idea of writing in iambic pentameter, but write chapters of stories every week to send to friends to critique. There are people who jump at the chance to strategize and raid in videogames but stifle a yawn at teamwork in sports. I’m not suggesting that

putting Pokemon before the United States of America is a good use of priorities.

However, I am saying that people have potential to do a great deal of things, and just because they don’t choose the most useful ones to pursue doesn’t mean their potential completely goes to waste.

Last year, some friends and I taught ourselves roughly three different personality theories, all of which I could give a basic explanation of if asked. My suitemate keeps herself posted on scientific blogs and journals, and could give you an elaborate definition of “sexuality” if prompted. My roommate knows nearly every dog breed on sight and how to handle it — Animal Planet is like Jeopardy for her.

Will this help any of us get a job or graduate? Not directly. Yet having the discipline to stick with something and become good at it is an achievement that can be reached without the incentive of an “A “on a report card or an accepted job application.

Too often I find my peers forget that even the little battles (like proving you can lead a game of Dungeons and Dragons) can fill you with the sort of satisfaction and confidence that leads to feeling competent with leading in general.

Personally? The first story I ever finished was a fanfiction, and feedback on that led me to improving on my own original work. And eventually commentary news articles. Go figure.

So, yes. Go do jobs in your spare time.

Work hard in school and get good grades.

Do visible things that the world can look at and judge approvingly.

Just don’t forget you’re shaped by more than just what the world sees.

Stephanie Selander can be reached at stephselander@gmail.com.

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14 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

EDITOR LETTERS

TO THE

1st Letter

4th Letter

The article “Military Service Preys on Fragile Minds of the Youth” is a poorly researched and misguided opinion piece regarding the state of recruits for our military. As a university which houses the Army ROTC program, this is just plain careless. Go to the ROTC company find one of the prior enlisted soldiers who has decided to return to serving his country as a prior enlisted officer. Find one who joined at age 18, with 4 tours to the middle east under his belt, and ask him if his decisions to enlist were because he was preyed upon, or misguided and not mature enough to make a decision for himself. Ask if he feels he was not able to develop his own opinion on the subject of war. Ask him what he thinks of “the real world”. I guarantee you he knows well what this so-called “real world” is that you talk about.

As the proud spouse of a US Army soldier, and the friend of many soldiers who enlisted at the ripe age of 18, not only is this article offensive, it is wrong. Of the friends of mine from my teenage years that attended University, I can’t find you many who are happy. Who think they know what life is all about. Who feel like they followed their dreams in life. They went to college because that was what they were expected to do. That’s what they needed to do in order to fit in. Nowadays, not many of them do much outside of their jobs or the bar scene.

They don’t know what it’s like to care for anyone other than themselves, to be a part of something more than themselves, or to live their life selflessly so that others can gain benefit from their sacrifice.

This author should, at the very least, apologize to the veterans currently attending the University of Tampa that were wrongly labeled by this article. Then apologize to all the men and women in the ROTC program, who have decided to make the military a career.

-Laura MacDill AFB

I am curious as to how you allowed this article, written by Camilla Chebet, to be published without a second thought to the Veterans who are on the campus of the University of Tampa. Her article is full of repetitive tones and doesn’t, in the least, effectively showcase what an individual thinks when entering into the US Armed Forces. Did she even do research into this paper, interview Veterans, or interview active duty Military personnel? As a Veteran myself, I find it an inaccurate article that portrays Veterans in a negative way.

Equally disgusting is the picture used in the article showing tombstones. I urge you to take this picture of a deceased American Veteran down, as it is simply low class. I would expect higher standards from your newspaper and even better editing.

-Bradley Herron U.S. House of Representatives

As a representative of the student body you are burdened with the responsibility of informing, I’d appreciate some answers to a few of our questions regarding two of your most recent articles.

Why is it socially acceptable for a teenage girl to write about how many penises she has had in her mouth but not honorable for a man or woman of the same age to serve our nation? Let me remind you, these same 18 year olds are risking their lives to give you the first amendment right to publish your articles condemning them.

I know the Minaret office has no windows, but why that does not excuse staff writers like Camilla Chebet to write ignorantly about the outside world?

Military issues should be left to those who understand them and not to the cowardly college writer looking for a few extra reads.

But she’s not the only one. Ignorance is contagious, and the Minaret needs to be quarantined.

Why has Chebet partnered with Hannah Webster to scrape the sludge off the bottom of the journalistic barrel? Webster’s article last week and Chebet’s this week are a personal and professional disgrace to the Minaret.

I understand sex is what students want to read so tease the articles in print next to the connect-the-dots, put the rest of it on a blog where reads can be counted electronically and save the column inches for those writing in pen and not crayon.

While those two journalists (if we limit the definition to those of us who can spell) are waiting for an invitation to come to the big kids’ table, I will give you a history lesson. I wrote for the Minaret for two years during one of which I was a section editor.

Both years we won Florida’s Top Paper awards from the Collegiate Associated Press and the CAP named the Minaret the third best small school paper in the nation, placing ahead of schools like Wake Forest.

Countless people, including you Editor, worked tireless hours to build a national reputation through hard news stories.

Thanks to the recent articles that credibility has been destroyed.

No longer when people think of the Minaret as the paper that took an in-depth look at sexual abuse on college campuses, but instead, dismiss it as that paper with the girl who writes that sex stuff and the other one who attempted personal gain at the expense of our nation’s bravest.

I was there when the NCAA investigated our national championship winning women’s soccer team because of your story.

I was there when you jeered God. I was there through deaths and rapes. And now I say to you in all honesty: I am ashamed to have been there, and the only comfort I take from the work you’re producing now, is the consolation that I’m not there now.

-Bobby Winsler Senior, University of Tampa

3rd Letter

5th Letter

Having read the article by Camilla Chebet titled “Military Service Preys On Fragile Minds Of The Youth,” I am moved to let the editor know how disgusting the use of veterans tombstones was as a centerpiece in this article.

This is an insult to all who have served the United States of America honorably. I have no issues with the content of this article as it is simply free speech, but using those who have died on the field of battle as a way to further the authors negative point of view on veterans is tacky and disrespectful at best. I hope you will remove this photo as to refrain from further offending those who have so honorably served our country.

Thank you.

-Cole Stasney

This letter is in response to the commentary, “ Military Service Preys on Fragile Minds of the Youth”, written by Camilla Chebet.

As a medically retired United States Marine, I have fought and shed blood for the rights that the author enjoys. While she may never fully appreciate these rights, she has every right to use them as she sees fit.

In fact, we all do. Whether she chooses to “abuse” them or take advantage of them to express her opinions- they are still her rights. How ironic those who have died and sacrificed to ensure her rights remain in place are now the target of her anger or lack of understanding.

The fact is- she has every right to write her opinion and let it be known.

2nd Letter

COMMENTARY The Minaret has every right to print the commentary- whether we agree with it or not. The rights of the people of the United States of America are to be enjoyed by every citizen- and the military has had a big part in ensuring that these rights remain in place. Like it or not- people have bled and died, sometimes surrendering the very rights you enjoy, to FREELY lay down their lives for a cause that they believe in: freedom for all. Freedom for all- payed for by few.

“It is not for us to ask why- only for us to do or die”.

I served 9 years in the Marine Corpstwo of it in Iraq. I have lost friends, brothers, and those under my care. I have been inches from death, and survived to tell my story. Many of our brothers and sisters in arms cannot make these claimsand now we as veterans are their voice.

I know for a fact if Cpl. Jason DunhamUS Marine and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient- could comment from the grave he would say “your welcome”.

Though you would not humble yourself for a minute to thank him for his sacrifices- he would forgive you and continue to sacrifice.

I know this because I served under him when he was killed- and he saved my life.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps of his own FREE WILL at 18, removed his Kevlar helmet placing it over a grenade and lying on top of it under his own FREE WILL, and died of his own FREE WILL so that we could live. He never asked, “Why should I”. He just did it.

Camilla- I was 19 when I enlisted in June of 2001. When the events of September 11, 2001 took place I was sent to Boot Camp early. I went through the invasion of Iraq. I was there in 2004 during some of the worst months of combat. I was in Ramadi in 2005 helping to ensure that the Iraqis could participate in an election without being pressured and threatened.

I was hit by an IED that was inches from killing me, leaving me with nerve damage that prevents me from running and a brain injury that makes every day activities a challenge. I have held dying Marines in my arms- and sent home 43 of my friends and brothers in flag draped caskets. I say all this to show you what I have personally sacrificed for your freedoms. I have done all this of my OWN FREE WILL. I am out now, but I will never forget what I have done or what those heroes have done. Those lives that you feel were lost in vain were lost to keep me alive. They were lost while you were in middle school forming your opinions. They were lost so that you could sit in high school looking forward to going to college and figuring out what the “real world” was like. They were lost for the Marines, sailors, soldiers, and airmen around them- that they could live and return home to their families.

You have probably never had to sacrifice nor will you ever have to. Just keep in mind that the very reason you will never have to sacrifice in the ways we have- and those before us- is due to those very individuals who you think so low of.

All that being said, thank you for exercising your rights. Thank you for taking advantage of the rights and freedoms that I fought so hard for. Every time I see something like this- something demeaning to the military- it makes me proud to have served. It makes me proud to know what “THE REAL WORLD” is like. To know what it costs to have these freedoms we enjoy. To have seen how horrible it would be to not have these freedoms.

We do not always agree with what the military and our leaders want us to do- but we do it anyway. We do it of our own FREE WILL. I did not have a recruiter preying on me- I preyed on them. I saw them outside smoking a cigarette in his Dress Blue Deltas, tattoos all up and down his arms, and knew that was what I wanted.

I will conclude with this. Sorry so long winded- I was just a bit perturbed. I hope you continue exercising your rights. We are a free nation and whether you want to admit it or not, it is a fact that those rights and freedoms are defended by our military. We would unconditionally, without question, with enthusiasm and of our own free will- take a bullet for you. To ensure that you may continue to write this garbage.

To ensure that you have all the rights we sign away when we sign that contract. We would rather die than live in a nation that would restrict your expression of your opinions. We would do this because we love our country, it’s people, our families, appreciate the sacrifices of others and those before us and want to do our part to carry on their mission.

To those bashing the author: Tone it down a bit. Remember that we do what we do/done for people like her as well as those who support us. I understand the anger and frustration- but our brothers and sister died for her right to give her opinion. Thank you others for a supportwe need it. Let us all use this article as an example of why we fought.

I’ll leave you with this: From time to time, the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and patriots.

–Thomas Jefferson– -Cpl. Eddie Hoffmann USMC, Ret. SVO Historian 6th Letter My name is Adam G. Rodriguez; I joined active duty Army in 2002 just after graduating high school with a 2.2 GPA. I was in the Army until Jan-2008 when I started attending UT full time. I began my five year commitment as an airborne soldier, trained to jump from various aircrafts to secure landing zones from the enemy. After a deployment to Iraq, I became a recruiter in the Tampa area; I recruited roughly 30 American “future soldiers” before starting my college career at UT. I hope you read my response to your article as open-mindedly as I read your opinions. I think it is awesome that your article was published in the Minaret, because your views on military service are probably shared with many of the student body, possibly even with some of the staff.

But considering the facts I present you, don’t you think it would be equitable to restate some things? The regulation covering enlistment in the Regular Army is AR 601210, and can be found on the internet.

First I would like to assure you about the education and age requirements which are perturbing to you. To gain enlistment into the U.S. Army, a citizen is not required to have a High School diploma; they may also qualify with some form of equivalency; such as a GED or a specified number of semester hours of college. The age requirement of 18 is only waiver able if a consent form is filled out by the enlistee’s parent or guardian. In the instance of a person gaining enlistment that is under the age of 18, the uneasy feeling you’re feeling is the result of a parental decision and cannot be attributed to “over looking” someone’s age by the Army.

2–3. Age a. Applicant is eligible for enlistment if applicant is not less than 18 years of age and has not reached his or her 42nd birthday, or is not less than 17 years of age and has not reached their 18th birthday and the DD Form 1966 parental/guardian consent for enlistment has been completed.

All NPS Regular Army and RC applicants must enlist and ship prior to their 42nd birthday and be eligible for regular or nonregular retirement by age 62.

(1) Recruiters will obtain parental consent for any applicant who has not reached their 18th birthday. Parental consent may not be obtained more than 30 days prior to the 17th birthday; applicants must be 17 years of age at time of the test, physical, and contracting into the DEP/DTP. This consent of parents or legal guardians must be in writing before physical examination or enlistment. Enlistment is not authorized if either parent objects. However, if only one parent is entitled to legal custody of the applicant (for example, by reason of divorce decree), then only that parent’s consent is required. The recruiter will identify any supporting document used and indicate its identifying marks, such as petition, file, or docket number in DD Form 1966 remarks section.

(2) If the applicant is married, legally separated, or divorced, a statement referencing the court document or marriage

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

COMMENTARY

15

Editorial: Regarding Controversy on the Article ‘Minds of the Youth’ Last week, a column published in our paper titled “Military Service Preys on Fragile Minds of the Youth” stirred controversy. Some readers specifically questioned The Minaret’s intent in publishing an article that seemed to be against the armed services.

As an editorial policy, The Minaret acknowledges the views of all University of Tampa students, being that it is a paper run, written, and supported by its students.

It does not censor the right for a writer to voice his or her opinion, as long as it is supported with facts.

“Minds of the Youth” Camilla Chebet’s article opened a discussion on the ethical implications of the minimum requirements of enlisting in the armed services. The Minaret and I acknowledge the mistake we made in allowing the article to be published.

Chebet’s column was not written in a direct narrative voice, which may have provided the appearance of one stating facts rather than voicing opinions.

Generally, opinion-based articles are written in first-person. The author uses “I” to share his or her beliefs or views.

Parts of the article portrayed opinion as fact rather than reflecting the voice of the author.

The statement made regarding the military’s goal in targeting a younger

audience was an assumption made by the author and was not properly supported with facts.

To provide some factual evidence for some of the claims Chebet made in her article, I am taking this opportunity to state the following.

According to the United States’ No Child Left Behind Act, Section 9528, it is mandatory for secondary public schools to provide “access to students’ names, addresses and telephone listings” for high school juniors and seniors.

This policy allows military recruiters to send marketing material to and to contact students.

According to the No Child Left Behind Act, if a public school fails to comply with the policy, they often risk losing federal funding.

Students and parents are given the opportunity to opt out, but are not always informed of their right to restrict the disclosure of such information.

An exception to the act would be that private schools with religious motives for objecting to serve in the armed services are not required to provide such information.

In addition to the No Child Left Behind Act, the Department of Defense also created a law allowing the collection and use of information concerning teenagers 17 years of age and older. Under U.S.

EDITOR LETTERS TO THE

license will be entered in the remarks block of the form and the applicant may be enlisted without parental consent. Applicants must be interviewed by a commissioned officer assigned to USAREC or the ARNG and annotated in DD Form 1966 remarks section for enlistment eligibility.

(3) Except as otherwise noted in this paragraph, both parents must generally sign the form. (An exception is that the signature of one parent is acceptable if the other parent is deemed incapacitated, or absent at an unknown location for an indefinite period. If only one parent signs, the reason will be explained in the remarks block of DD Form 1966. The recruiter will state in the verification block what documents were used to verify the single signature.)

One parent’s signature is authorized if the other parent is incarcerated and will not be released prior to the applicant’s 18th birthday. Parental consent may be obtained from an incarcerated parent, but it must be submitted through the institution’s legal channels for notary.

(4) The signature of the parents or guardian on DD Form 1966 will be witnessed by a commissioned officer, warrant officer, or noncommissioned officer (NCO), or civilian recruiting specialist. Otherwise, the signature must be notarized. The recruiter will verify all entries to include supporting documents used to verify occasions when only one signature is authorized and annotate on DD Form 1966. One parent is required to sign the medical prescreen form for applicants under the age of 18 for medical examination.

(5) When an applicant has been made a ward of the court or under State or Federal law the applicant has been placed in the control and custody of other than the natural parents(s), then the agency (normally a case worker) or the court appointed custodial agency will be required to complete the DD Form 1966 parental consent section and provide a certified copy of the court document awarding such custody.

(6) Emancipated applicants may enlist without parental consent, provided they have a certified court document declaring their emancipation. The recruiter will identify any supporting document used and indicate its identifying marks, such

as, petition, file, or docket number in DD Form 1966 remarks section. b. Documents and procedures used to verify eligibility include— (1) Birth certificate.

(2) INS Form N–550/551/570 Naturalization Certificate.

(3) USCIS Form N–560 or N–561 (Certificate of United States Citizenship).

(4) U.S. passport.

(5) DD Form 372 (Request for Verification of Birth).

(6) Department of State (DS) Form 1350 (Certification of Birth).

(7) Foreign Service (FS) Form 545 (Certification of Birth Abroad of U.S. Citizen).

(8) FS Form 240 (Counsular Report of Birth Abroad).

(9) Tribal card (not expired) or letter from tribal council for American Indians born in Canada under the Jay Treaty.

(10) Foreign Passport (unexpired).

I would like to acknowledge that you may not fully understand why it is that military recruiters are trained to prospect for and attract America’s youth. But your statement: “it is much easier to persuade a young 18-year-old that they ought to kill someone because it is okay than to convince a 25-year-old that the same act is okay.” is certainly not the reason.

A soldier must have the physical ability to live a soldier’s life, but they must also posses training and discipline which takes time to develop.

Your article is unsettling to me because you’re not acknowledging the true reason of why someone of sound mind and body would choose to place themselves in harm’s way for things they may not fully understand.

The most important factor for why is trust in and to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. “ We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

The value of the U.S. Constitution

Code Section 503 (titled “enlistments: recruiting campaigns; compilation of directory information”), recruiters have also been able to gather information from state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records, Selective Service records and other sources.

Chebet’s article also mentioned that teenagers are not fully aware of the decisions they make at this stage in life.

A study published in the Scholastic Scope titled, “Teens and Decision Making: What Brain Science Reveals,” mentions that human brain reaches its full size in teenagers 12 to 14 years old. The study also mentions that the brain does not fully develop until a person is in his early 20s.

The pre-frontal cortex is one of the key regions in the brain that matures at a slower pace than other regions found in the brain. It acts as a control center, weighing out “risks” and “rewards.” In other words, it’s the part of the brain that makes you think before you act. The study also mentions that the limbic system, the emotional center of the brain, develops much earlier and attributes to most of the decision-making performed by teenagers.

As a result, many teenagers may make decisions based on emotion as opposed to rational thought.

Although teenagers might be compelled to joined the armed forces and

fight to defend the country and the people they love, they may not be fully aware of the consequences of their actions before doing so, especially considering the fact that the parts of their brains that are concerned with rational thought processes and decision-making are not fully-formed.

Online Comments The Minaret opens its online edition to reader comments.

The Minaret is open to criticisms, but in circumstances in which a comment contains profanity, racial slurs or a writer is either attacked or harassed on a personal level, the newspaper reserves the right to remove comments or report offenders to legal authorities.

Letters to the Editor The Minaret publishes all letters written to the editor, as long as they are sent in regards to our content and not for advertisement purposes.

We received numerous letters regarding Chebet’s piece and will share all of these letters with our readers.

The Minaret will continue to work diligently to provide the best product to our readers.

The Editorial Board can be reached at editor@theminaretonline.com or you may submit a Letter to the Editor form online at www.theminaretonline.com.

Letters Regarding Controversy on the Article ‘Minds of the Youth’ Continued is the freedom it provides. It does so by prescribing exactly how our government’s branches are to function. You should understand one article specifically: Article II – The Executive Branch, Section 2 – Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments I think by understanding the constitution you will realize that what you said: “ Or has your death simply become a statistic in a person’s search for more power and resources?” Is completely unfounded and the very reason for the constitution and thus military service. The citizens of America are who control America, by voting into office for limited terms those people who align most with the majorities opinions.

In contrast to other countries, the people of the United States decide our countries endeavors. Why the military recruits and also why citizens enlist is primarily to “Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” This is the oath of enlistment: “I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).

This is the oath for commissioned officers: “I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.” (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

Notice when an officer commissions they do not make an oath to obey the orders of neither the President of the United States nor those of the officers appointed over them? That is because of what it takes to become an officer in the Army (a 4-year degree being the least of the prerequisites), but also because it is the officers duty to

consider the implications of their orders.

I emphatically agree with you about the value of a college education, and in my experience as a previously recruited enlisted soldier and subsequently becoming an active duty Army Recruiter so do America’s youth. It is the promise of affording a formal education which is the allure for most enlisting men and women, whether to repay existing student loans or to obtain the future ability to pay for college.

Someone who is compelled to enlist by as you said “the allure of adventure and being exposed to guns and actually being able to use them” probably would not meet the mental health requirements nor have the internal fortitude, discipline and intelligence to live by the Army Values and remain enlisted long enough to make it through the rigorous training and make it to their first Army duty station.

This is what is taught to those brave men and women (“wet fish”) first: 1. Loyalty - Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. constitution, the Army, and other soldiers.

2. Duty - Accept responsibility for your own actions and those entrusted to your care.

3. Respect - How we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization.

4. Selfless Service - Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.

5. Honor - Live up to all the Army values (Importance of Character) 6. Integrity - Be willing to do what is right even when no one is looking.

7. Personal Courage - Our ability to face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral courage.

I have never met anyone who better learns the “difference between good and bad and right (and) wrong” than an American soldier.

Your article is honest, but presents to your reader’s ignorance, many of whom share it. Don’t fret about the sentiments of those serving or who have served, most understand the thankless nature of their service. But luckily the University of Tampa recognizes their character and service by voluntarily contributing up to 50% of veteran’s tuition with the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, as well as facilitating the cultivation of some of Americas best military Officers through UT’s ROTC program.

-Adam G. Rodriguez UT Student

16 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

COMMENTARY

Student Accepts Insanity As a Part Of A Hopeful Future

By NARISA IMPRASERT Columnist

What do you want to be when you grow up?

We’ve heard this question a million times, and that’s almost not even a hyperbole.

Every formal or informal interview, every parent and every new friend has probably asked you this question.

But now that we’re in college, this question has come to us in a new light.

It’s one of the most important questions that a lot of us have yet to answer with more than a head tilt and a shrug of the shoulders.

Currently, I’m working on a TESOL practicum over at Blake High, and on day one a student boldly raised his hand and asked, “Why would you want to be a teacher?”

He didn’t ask why I had chosen to become a teacher, but why I would be so silly as to to make such a decision.

After delivering him a cheesy and flowery response, like a character straight from Freedom Writers, he followed it up with a hilarious statement: “You’re too young to be a teacher.”

I laughed and told him that there wasn’t a cutoff age to be a teacher and he just clarified that I was “Too young to be crazy.”

Oh, I couldn’t help but laugh along with the class, but when I was driving home, I

started to think about what he said.

Why am I not training to make the big bucks? Why am I paying more to learn here at UT than what I would earn in a year teaching?

To knowingly go into a career where I’m already guaranteed a low salary and rough hours with overwhelming responsibilities, I must be mad.

I mean, to be doing homework for the rest of my life so that I can teach my students seems borderline insane.

But to leave work every day with a smile because I helped change at least one student, to have made a student understand something he or she never thought was possible is a dream come true.

To have a student passionately hold up a debate on civil disobedience or confidently break down a Shakespearean poem is enough to justify every lost night of sleep utilized to brainstorm ways to help a seemingly hopeless pupil.

They say college is a stepping stone towards “success,” a step towards planning the rest of our lives on a vague five to ten year plan.

But for many of us, including those declared “undecided” or even those with a concentration towards humanities, we feel like we’re just one step closer to having an anxiety attack.

Personally speaking, the majority of my friends are creative writing or English majors, and often they feel like their only choice is to go to graduate school.

Otherwise, they’re looking forward to the equivalent of a struggling artist or musician living in a cardboard box with a sign saying, “Will write for food.”

Narisa Imprasert/The Minaret

Students at Meadow Park Elementary School show us that as we grow, that growth allows us to fulfil our ambitions. In order to get there though, you have to go a little crazy during college first.

I know that a lot of outsiders might think of our group as members of an insane asylum.

And right now, I’m just like them. But if you love something, then why stop?

I’m just as crazy and passionate. Money is nothing to me if I’m not happy.

So when someone asks you that glorious question “What are you going to be when you ‘grow up’ and graduate,” look him or her in the eye and be passionate.

Tell that person that you are going to make a change.

Whether or not you have a major, or an interest in business, or theatre or whatever, you’re doing something for yourself.

And if they mock you for your dreams, ask them what they plan on doing and why.

Teaching English is my dream.

And I’m just fine with a middle class life and spending a small percentage of my paycheck to fund my classroom.

So am I crazy? I guess I am.

Narisa Imprasert can be reached at nimprasert@spartans.ut.edu.

Keeping Your ‘Bro-Status’ Is Difficult When Physical Lines Blur

By DOMINIQUE C. BARCHUS Love and Sex Columnist

I’ve noticed many different kinds of friendships exist in college.

I’ve seen Greek life cliques, athletic team packs, mobs of party-ers and the normal friendships of people who just like to hang out with one another because they enjoy each other’s company.

These relationships tend to be some of the strongest bonds in college because these are the people that you spend the most time with.

I myself have those cliques.

I have my dance team, as well as my favorite people I tend to hang out with all the time outside of practice.

Since I was little, I’ve always had my small, tight-knit group of girlfriends — but then I always had my boys.

These were all the guys that I could just hang out with, have some laughs with and talk to about anything.

They were like my unofficial brothers.

I’d always be considered “one of the guys,” not because I would act like a boy, but because our friendship was exactly that: a friendship.

Sexual lines were never crossed and I wasn’t just “some girl” that didn’t mean much to them.

They looked out for me.

My guy friends cared a lot about the people they share a close friendship with and I was one of those people.

The girls they tend to be close with like that are usually put on a higher pedestal than just “any other girl.”

This relationship is called her “bro

status.” When you have a “bro status” you know practically everything that your “boys” are up to and what’s going on in their lives, especially when it comes to other females.

It’s easy for them to tell you or talk with you about it, because they see you as one of their “boys.”

They don’t worry that you will become jealous because it’s already established that your relationship will not go any further.

These conversations cannot be had with girls outside of the “bro” circle.

Other girls are still open for them to try to “get with,” so friends won’t divulge their secrets.

These secrets may make them look bad when trying to impress females that may be potentially interested in them.

Attaining “bro status” is not easy.

Girls have to find the right circle of guys that they can hang out with without having or wanting to have sexual relations with them.

There has to be a line that remains uncrossed that says you both cannot date each other or be intimate.

It’s only natural to be sexually attracted to someone.

But it’s hard to keep a “pure” friendship with someone if you are also being intimate with them.

The problem I’ve noticed in college is that girls will have this kind of closeness with guys.

But there may be a point where they may notice that there is a physical attraction as well.

They are tempted to explore their options.

Let’s say that there is a guy and a girl that are considered friends who decide to fool around but not have sex.

After, the friendship may seem a little

Dominique C. Barchus/The Minaret

Being able to be part of the ‘inner environment’ that men don’t allow women to experience is seen as a privilege. If you value this status, the biggest way keep it is to avoid physical entanglements.

weird, but it’s not enough to really take a toll on their friendship.

Everything seems to be okay. Although everything is okay and the couple in question may decide not to be intimate again, there is still sexual tension that wasn’t there before.

Now, things are different.

Both parties are still tempted to see how things would be if they crossed the line.

Furthermore, the “inner circle” can sense that something is up.

There are no more talks about life and sex, because the girl’s has been changed to that of an “outsider.”

She has lost her “bro status.”

Some may have a different view and

think that a girl is a close friend until she crosses the line with one of the guys in the inner circle, and once she does, that she is then considered a “bro” because she is no longer potential territory for them to conquer.

So in this case, attaining the title of being a “bro” is a bad thing.

The definition for types of relationships are always going to vary from person to person.

So girls, before you gain or lose your “bro status,” think twice and see if it’s really worth it.

Good luck loving!

Dominique C. Barchus can be reached at dominique.barchus@spartans.ut.edu.

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

Sports

17

Softball Sets Sights on Reclaiming Conference Crown Veteran Spartans return from injury looking to make impact

Andy Meng/Sports Information

Becky Vyzas returns for her junior season behind the plate at UT after missing 13 games to start last year. Vyzas still managed to bat over .300 once returning from a wrist injury.

By JOHN HILSENROTH Sports Writer

After a 23-17 record last season, the University of Tampa softball team has higher hopes for this season.

“You’re never satisfied with not making the postseason, but considering our top pitcher [Deanna Henriott] was out most of the season and we only had one player bat over .300, finishing third in the conference

wasn’t so bad,” said Head Coach Leslie Kanter, who is in her 17th season as the Spartans’ coach.

Fortunately for the Spartans, the lone player to bat above .300 is returning this season for her junior year at UT. Catcher Becky Vyzas batted .312 in 27 games in 2010 as a sophomore, while maintaining a .993 fielding percentage behind the plate.

She was also one of two key Spartans

who were injured in 2010, as she missed 13 games due to a bum wrist.

Deanna Henriott, now a junior, received a medical redshirt in 2010 because of a torn labrum in her hip, which kept her sidelined for the entire season.

Last year’s team was 1-6 against ranked opponents and despite ending the season on a four game winning streak, they went 5-7 in their last 12 games.

Senior outfielder Cassie Barnes felt last year’s struggles had a lot to do with injuries and the team’s lack of hitting.

“Injuries held us back last year, but we just didn’t hit the ball. That has to change this year,” said Barnes.

The team opens up this season on Saturday, Feb. 12 with a doubleheader against Bowie State. After those two games, the team goes on the road and doesn’t play another home game for nearly a full month.

“We don’t mind traveling early, because traveling later on can lead to more fatigue.

Traveling and winning, that’s our goal,” said Kanter.

The head coach took an analytical look at this year’s Spartan team.

“I’m really excited about this year’s team. Our goal is to win the conference, and we have the talent to do so if we stay healthy. And that’s a big ‘if.’ We’re not as deep as we’d like to be, especially in the infield.”

Coach Kanter expects the top of her lineup to step it up this season, and really focus on hitting the ball.

“We want our top five hitters to hit .320 or .330, and then we can really make some noise,” she said.

The overall team had a .244 batting average last season, but they feel like they can turn that around this season.

“I was really disappointed with myself last season. I want to hit over .300 this year and do my part in carrying the team towards a conference championship, and maybe even regionals and nationals,” said Barnes.

“The recipe for winning is simple; we just have to play together. That means we have to make less errors, pitch well and hit the ball, but most importantly, play together as a team.

The women Spartans were ranked second in the Sunshine State Conference preseason polls, and are eager to get the season under way.

“I’m always a little bit nervous before the first game, but once the first pitch is thrown, the nerves settle. I really wanna go out with a fun season this year, and maybe coach little league or something down the road,” said Barnes.

The UT softball team hasn’t won the SSC since 2001, but they have their eyes on the SSC championship for this year.

Rollins, however, is as tough as ever and is not going to make it easy on them.

The team will be in action on Feb. 12 at noon and 2 p.m. as the Spartans take on Bowie State.

John Hilsenroth can be reached at jhilsenroth@spartans.ut.edu.

Returning Regional Champs Get 2011 Campaign Underway UT men travel to South Carolina for three game tournament

By MAYA TODD Sports Writer

After losing a majority of the University of Tampa baseball team to either the minor leagues or graduation, the 2011 season will certainly be an experience unlike that of last year.

“There is no replacing last year’s team; our dynamic this year is totally different from last year,” said senior infielder Patrick Donahue.

The 2010 Tampa squad finished last season with a 46-11 record, going 25-8 at home and 21-1 away.

The team was the Sunshine State Conference champions and the champions of the South Region.

In the opening round of the NCAA Division II Championships in Cary, N.C., the Spartans lost, something they rarely did in the regular season, to the University of Central Missouri Mules, sending themselves into an elimination game against Georgia College.

The Spartans fell once more, terminating their season and their shot at the 2010 national title.

Patrick Donahue The losses could be regarded as a surprise considering the numbers that the team boasted at the end of the season.

The entirety of the starting line-up put up batting averages of over .300, the highest being .415 held by former Spartan designated hitter Mike Schwartz.

Last season, Tampa totaled 733 hits

including 87 homeruns, while its opponents totaled only 556 with only 38 homers.

Can this year’s numbers compete with those of the previous roster?

Donahue talked about a new style of play with this year’s team.

“Last year we lived by the long ball as opposed to this year – we will be playing small ball. This year we will have to manufacture runs, and play good defense and pitching.”

Part of this “small ball” attitude may be due to the new bat standards imposed by the NCAA. The new bats required for use now are made to have more of a wood bat feel and performance. There are quite a few additions to the team – some from high school, other colleges and a few Division I universities. Taylor Wrenn, transfer from the University of Southern California, has joined UT’s squad.

Alongside him, Josh Thrailkill from Clemson University, Raiko Alfonso and Justin Leith, both from Florida International University, Shane Riedie from Louisiana State University, and many others.

All are expected to contribute to Tampa’s goal of a winning season When asked about the dynamic of this new team, Head Coach Joe Urso responded saying, “the biggest challenge is going to be the chemistry of the team – getting to know each other – because a lot of our success here at UT has been talent as well as the personality and chemistry of the team.”

In order to build this team chemistry, Urso and team recently took a trip to a Lightning Game where the players as well as the coaches could establish a relationship off the field, as well.

Samantha Battersby/The Minaret

A transfer from the University of Southern California, infielder Taylor Wrenn shined in his Spartan debut, notching four base hits and a run scored en route to a 13-4 UT victory.

One of the key players Urso said to look out for was the only returning position player, Donahue, who hit over .400 last season.

Donahue was asked the same question about key players. He stated, “I feel like we can look out for Wrenn, Shawn Pleffner, Eric Grabe and Damon Elder to have pretty good seasons and be big time contributors to our offense.”

Urso mentioned the same names. All are recent transfers with junior eligibility.

As far as strengths go, Urso stated that “both the depth of the pitching staff and the infield should be the strongest.”

The young outfield and players making position changes from the infield may be

the team’s biggest challenge; teaching the players what is needed of them and aiding the others in the transition is one of the coaching staff’s ambitions.

Time will tell if the team’s chemistry can, in fact, get stronger and their initial goals are met successfully.

Urso and the team’s expectations are the same as every year at the University of Tampa: to win a national championship.

Tampa, standing at 1-2 following a series against the fourth ranked team in the nation, will travel to South Carolina to face off against Lander, Grand Valley State and Mount Olive.

Maya Todd can be reached at mtodd@ spartans.ut.edu.

18 FEBRUARY 10 2011 | THE MINARET

SPORTS

Lightning Surge Toward Playoffs Under New Ownership

By DANIEL PINEYRO Sports Writer

The Tampa Bay Lightning are doing something they haven’t done in several years: win.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Lightning have been plagued by salary cap issues, ownership disputes and lackluster rosters which have prevented a return to their former glory.

However, as any hockey fan will notice, the Lightning seem to have finally turned things around.

Tampa is currently sitting atop the Southeast Division with 71 points; good enough for second in the Eastern Conference behind only the offensivelystacked Philadelphia Flyers.

But they haven’t emerged as one of the best teams in the league through sheer luck.

With some shrewd moves by team owner Jeff Vinik, who bought the team in 2010, it would take just one off-season to turn the franchise around.

In April of 2010, just one day after the regular season ended, Vinik fired both Head Coach Rick Tocchet and General Manager Brian Lawton, replacing them with current Head Coach Guy Boucher and General Manager and hockey legend Steve Yzerman.

Both men are highly respected throughout the hockey world and they have proven themselves to be a competent

duo as their team continues to rise in the standings.

While no one will doubt their current success in the regular season, fans must wonder if the Lightning can continue their winning ways as they move into the postseason.

Throughout the last five years, the Lightning have only made the playoffs twice and in each of those playoff appearances, they’ve been eliminated in the first round. So, will they be able to make it over the hump and make a real run at the Stanley Cup? With a couple of small roster changes, I think they could.

Led by the young phenomenon Steven Stamkos, the Lightning are doing just fine offensively as they are tied for second in the conference in goals scored. Having stars like Marty St. Louis and Simon Gagne doesn’t hurt in that category either.

A big issue for the Lightning so far this season is at the other end of the ice: goaltending. Dan Ellis and Mike Smith struggled to keep the puck out of the net throughout the first half of the season, and this was costing the team games.

To address this problem and to start the new year on the right foot, Yzerman went out on Jan. 1 and acquired veteran goalie Dwayne Roloson. Roloson’s play since being acquired has been absolutely spectacular, earning eight wins in his first 10 starts while putting up four shutouts.

Despite the strong improvement in net,

Super Bowl XLV Packs Quality Entertainment Punch

By JOE BEAUDOIN Sports Writer

Super Bowl XLV immediately got off to a rough start when Christina Aguilera butchered the National Anthem.

I did not know that something to the effect of, “gave proof through the night that our plane was still there,” was a line in the song, but at least the fly over was cool.

Too bad the people inside the stadium could not see it.

This brings me to the commercials.

The overall winner with the best quality of commercials was easily Doritos, the funniest being the healing chips.

Eminem was also a winner. He was in two entertaining commercials.

Another great commercial was the Volkswagen Passat one. The little boy kept failing at using the force, but when he tried to start the car and it actually did, it was priceless.

I was so happy for him.

Overall, the commercials were good, but there were a few bad ones in the mix.

The GoDaddy commercials, as a whole, were terrible. I did not like any of them, especially the new GoDaddy girl. Another

thing, what is godaddy.com? It makes no sense at all. They couldn’t have come up with a better domain name than that?

The half-time show has to be included when you grade the Super Bowl. I actually thought that the show was pretty good. I guess I might be one of the few people in America believing that.

In a poll done by ESPN, 35 percent of the people polled said they would give the halftime show an F. I was very surprised by this, mainly because I thought the Black Eyed Peas connected to the audience. I liked how they used different types of lights, especially when multiple groups of people made the green arrow. This definitely was not the best half time show ever, but it was far from terrible.

It is now time for the main event – the actual game. The Packers came out on fire and looked like the team that had been there before. Surprisingly, the opposite can be said for the Steelers. Pittsburgh made many mental mistakes throughout the game as displayed by penalties and multiple turnovers.

Green Bay jumped out to a 21-3 lead before the two minute warning of the first half. It was looking promising for the Packers until two of their top three secondary players, Charles Woodson and Sam Shields, were injured.

bridgetds/flickr.com

Behind the leadership of first-year Head Coach Guy Boucher and goal scoring of third-year pro Steven Stamkos, the Lightning are once again in contention for a top seed in the conference.

the Lightning are still having issues in their own zone and everyone knows that if you want to win the cup, you have to have a strong defense. Led by 20-year-old Victor Hedman and veteran Pavel Kubina, along with the recent addition of Marc-Andre Bergeron, the Bolts seem set in terms of offensive defenseman.

However, half of their defensemen are minus players, and as a team they are tied with the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs for tenth in the conference in the goals against category. These statistics have to change if

the Bolts are serious about a deep playoff run. While I wouldn’t say that Yzerman needs to make a move for a defenseman at the deadline, I would say that it would certainly help, as this seems to be the trouble spot for the team this season.

With Yzerman at the helm, the future looks bright for the Lightning as they are well on their way to making the next step and becoming an elite team that will be feared throughout the league.

Daniel Pineyro can be reached at dpineyro@spartans.ut.edu.

Player Concussions a Larger Concern in the NHL

By APRIL WEINER Sports Writer

Prior to the start of the 2010 season, the NHL instituted a new rule regarding head shots: referees could assess a minor or major penalty for any blindside hit to the head, at their discretion.

The NHL hoped that this action would help finally decrease the number of shots to the head, and thus reduce the rapidly increasing number of concussions each year.

Statistically, though, the rule hasn’t made any difference. The NHL’s neuropsychologist Dr. Ruban Echemendia reported that as of Dec. 1, 2010, 33 concussions had been reported by teams, the same as the previous season.

These include two big names: Pittsburgh Penguins’ center Sidney Crosby and Boston Bruins’ center Marc Savard.

Sidney Crosby has been out since Jan. 5 with lingering post-concussion symptoms from two hits he took in the first week of January.

Marc Savard is struggling with the post-concussion effects of his fourth career concussion. He missed a big portion of the beginning of this season with the postconcussion syndrome.

Concussions are a very serious injury.

The biggest concern with this injury is its

after-effects, as evidenced by what Savard is suffering from. Players might not be out as long with a concussion as they would be with a broken bone or fracture, but it could have detrimental effects to their health because it is an injury to the brain.

From Mayo Clinic, its effects can include impaired memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination.

These risks increase with each additional concussion sustained or the longer passing time that each concussion goes untreated.

The alarming part is that some concussions actually are never diagnosed, according to Mayo Clinic.

This is simply because people often don’t understand the warning signs of the concussion. They assume that a concussion comes from a hit to the head that causes a loss of consciousness. If they never suffered a loss of consciousness, the thought of having a concussion never crosses their mind. However, a concussion can occur from any harsh contact to the head.

In most every game, there is typically a lot of harsh contact to players’ heads. It can happen indirectly, just from the force of all the hits they take.

There could actually be an underdiagnosis of concussions in the NHL because of all these hits.

To read these articles in their entirety and for more sports blogs, visit theminaretonline.com and minaretblog.com.

Talk of the Town Professional Sporting Events in the Region

@ Following the signings of Damon and Manny, the Rays signed two more veterans to one-year deals. Pitcher Juan Cruz and infielder Felipe Lopez will join the club for spring training.

Orlando currently finds itself out of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference as the all-star game approaches. Dwight Howard and the Magic will host New Orleans on Friday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

@ The Lightning will play host to the division rival Carolina Hurricanes in the seventh game of this twelve game homestand. The game will get underway at The Forum on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 10 2011

SPORTS

19

Callaway Leads Spartans Over Lynn for 18th Win [From Back, M. Basketball]

Abby Sanford/The Minaret

Senior Rashad Callaway could not find his touch in a losing effort against FSC, shooting two for 15 from the field with eight turnovers in 39 minutes. The loss ended the Spartans’ win streak.

There are still positives on a team that has vastly improved from last year’s squad. Forward Fred Woods lends an inside presence and leads the team with six double-doubles after not playing the first half of the season. Junior guard Anthony Griffis is averaging 16.2 points a game as the team’s second leading scorer.

Schmidt shrugged the losses off as part of the game, and said it’s more productive to move forward and keep working hard.

He made comparisons to a celebrated Division I program when describing UT’s season thus far.

“It’s always tough when you go the second time around within your league,” Schmidt said. “Syracuse was 18-0, and now they’re not so hot either.”

The comparison to Syracuse

University’s basketball season is a relevant one. The Orange started the season by winning their first 18 games before losing four straight to conference foes. The losses dropped Syracuse from first place in the Big East to tied for fifth.

After the skid though, they’ve bounced back to win two in a row, and make up ground in national rankings. The Spartan men look to do the same in the last four contests of the regular season.

“Every game is a tough game from here on out.” Callaway said. “We have individual players but it comes down to a team effort. It doesn’t say Rashad’s name on the front of the jersey or Fred’s name or Anthony’s name; it says Tampa. So we’ve gotta go out there and take every game as a team or we’ll never win.”

Miles Parks can be reached at mparks@ spartans.ut.edu.

Spartan Game of the Week Recap- February 5 M. Basketball @rcaldadon (Rashad Callaway) Feels good to win again time to turn it all the way up February 5th, 2011

@youngru22 (Rudy Jean) 18-4 let’s go bout to get back on track...

February 5, 2011

vs.

Stat Breakdown Tampa 65 25/68 36.8% 18% 12-13 92% 47 11 17 18

Score FGM/FGA FG% 3-PT% FTM-FTA FT% Rebounds Assists TO Bench Pts.

Lynn 62 19/55 34.5% 40% 20-27 74% 37 8 19 6

Team Leaders

Hall

24 points 4 rebounds 2 assists 1 turnover 34 minutes

LU

UT Callaway 20 points 6 rebounds 7 assists 4 turnovers 38 minutes

MINARET

4

SPORTS

Baseball [17]

The Win

A brief rundown of Spartan sports

No. 5 Baseball [1-2] Feb. 11 at Lander Greenwood, S.C. [2-2] at 11 a.m.

The Spartans opened the season with a three-game stint against No. 4 Georgia College. The teams split the opening double header before dropping the Saturday finale.

Tampa finished the 2010 season 46-11, 21-3 SSC and saw 10 players sign professional contracts.

Eric Grabe led UT offensively going 8-14 with three extra base hits and four runs scored. He also started the series finale.

No. 24 M. Basketball [18-4, 7-4] Feb. 16 at Saint Leo [10-11, 1-10] at 7:30 p.m.

Following a Wednesday night matchup against Eckerd, Tampa will attempt to string together another conference win as they make the push for the postseason.

The Spartans are led by Rashad Callaway, who is averaging 17.5 points per game.

The teams met earlier this season with UT defeating the Lions 78-66 at home.

W. Basketball [16-5, 8-3] Feb. 16-20 at Saint Leo [9-13, 1-10] After meeting Eckerd University on Wednesday night, UT will take on the Saint Leo Lions.

Led by Taja Green, averaging over 17 points per game, the Spartans defeated SLU earlier this season 7259.

Softball

Tampa finished the 2010 season 23-17, placing third in the Sunshine State Conference. UT will return six of nine starters including redshirt junior Deanna Henriott, who will anchor the pitching staff.

UT will open on Feb. 12 as they host Bowie State in a doubleheader matchup.

UT’S SOURCE SINCE 1933

Lightning [18]

Record-Setting Start Comes to a Halt Spartan offense struggles through conference play

By MILES PARKS Sports Writer

The inbounds pass was right on the money. Ashton Graham came open and the shot was barely contested.

It went in, then it came out.

As the ball deflected off the inside of the hoop back onto the court, Graham jumped, flailed his arms, and yelled, almost in agony.

It was only a Monday afternoon practice, but the miss stung nonetheless. It’s been a rough few weeks for the University of Tampa’s men’s basketball team.

After starting the season 160, UT lost to Florida Southern on Jan. 19. The loss spurred more troubles, as they lost three of their next five games. Sitting at 18-4, and third place in the Sunshine State Conference, the Spartans are left trying to figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it as soon as possible.

UT has consistently been held under 70 points a game during the stretch, while shooting 40 percent or worse from the field in each loss. The Spartans shot 13.8 percent in the second half of a loss against Barry University.

Head Coach Richard Schmidt thinks the problem is nothing extraordinary, just a matter of execution.

“We’ve gone through a stretch where we just can’t make a shot,” Schmidt said. “You can’t really do that. You can’t beat anyone shooting in the 30 [percents].

You’ve just gotta be able to make more shots.”

As Schmidt looks into reasons for the dip in shooting accuracy, he noted that the opponents have gotten progressively better over the course of the schedule, and he gave credit to opposing defenses more than he blamed his players.

It’s also important to realize that three of the four losses sustained came against teams that UT had beaten already this season.

This means adjustments

Abby Sanford/The Minaret

Following a program record 16 straight wins to begin the season, the Spartan men have run into various obstacles facing conference opponents. This was highlighted by a loss to Florida Southern in January for the black out game.

on defense, more film to study and much better scouting from opponents for a Tampa team that came into the season very underrated.

As the Spartans lose ground in the SSC standings, many fans look not only to the coaches but to star players for reasons and support.

Rashad Callaway is the team leader in points scored, assists and steals. The losses beg answers from the senior point guard, who also leads the team in turnovers.

“Layups I usually make, I’ve been missing. Jump-shots I usually make, I’ve been missing,” Callaway said. “I’m trying too hard. I think I just need to let the game come to me.”

As for the team’s road to success, he says that it’s a matter of focus, preparation, and a willingness to improve.

“We’ve gotten a little complacent and started lacking in defense,” Callaway said.

“People weren’t doing what Coach said. They were listening to him throughout the season, but over the past four or five games, they started thinking they know everything. We gotta listen to

[

but also to just plain better shooting.

Coach Schmidt has repeatedly said that the team benefited from unusually bad shooting nights from normally good shooting

]

“I’m trying too hard. I need to let the game come to me.”

-Rashad Callaway

coach, he knows what he’s talking about.”

Callaway mentioned the team’s defense, which has been just as statistically troubling as the offense.

Through the first 16 games of the season, Tampa’s defense allowed 78 or more points only twice. In the past six games, it’s occurred three times.

This can be attributed to better scouting from opposing coaches,

teams such as Rollins and Eckerd.

This is not to say that Tampa’s defense isn’t slacking or wasn’t playing well to start the season, but it is another variable to think about.

Despite the obstacles, Schmidt doesn’t believe the rough patch merits a change in his team’s effort or his coaching style.

[See M. Basketball, 19]

Women’s Basketball Keeping Pace in SSC

By MICHAEL PAONESSA Sports Writer

The University of Tampa’s women’s basketball team is off to an impressive and decorated 2010-2011 season.

The Spartans currently stand 8-3 in Sunshine State Conference play and 16-5 overall, only trailing Florida Tech and Florida Southern in conference standings.

Earlier in the season the squad recorded a 12-game winning streak while adding a mark of 25 straight home games won, dating back to last season.

The winning streak was snapped by conference rival Florida Southern after the Spartans struggled defensively while FSC shot 48 percent from the field.

One of the noticeable standouts for the women this season has been Taja Green, a senior from Peoria, Ill. Standing at 5 foot 11, Green is averaging 17.3 PPG while shooting a solid 53 percent from the field.

Right behind Green is senior guard Gianna Messina. The Tampa native is averaging 16.3

PPG for the Spartans and leading the squad with 63 three-pointers made.

As a team, the Spartans are putting up impressive numbers from behind the ark. The women Spartans have made 10 threepoint field goals in a game 10 times this season, reaching as high as 15 three pointers at Nova Southeastern on Jan. 22.

The Spartans are coming off an 11-point win against Lynn last Saturday after losing to number 14 nationally ranked Rollins College.

As Tampa looks up in the SSC standings, they follow Florida Tech and Florida Southern’s path into the SSC tournament starting on March 2. They will have a premium chance to catch up in the standings as the Spartans finish off the season at Florida Southern on Feb. 23 and home against Florida Tech on Feb. 26.

After a week off from competition, the Spartans will resume play Feb.16 at Saint Leo. Michael Paonessa can be reached at mpaonessa@spartans. ut.edu.